Lupus & antiphospholipid syndrome
Frequency and clinical associations of Epstein-Barr virus molecular detection in systemic lupus erythematosus: A follow-up study
Authors' conclusion
The significant increase in EBV positivity during the follow-up of SLE patients may indicate a dynamic variation of viral replication.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in a prospective cohort93.2% female
- Participants
- 104 patients
- Outcome
- Frequency of EBV-DNA molecular detection (qPCR)
- Follow-up
- Baseline and 6 months
Methodological detailsobservational, follow-up at 6 months
- Observational
- Follow-up at 6 months
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Detectable EBV-DNA
Baseline
39
37.5%
Follow-up (6 months), significant increase
55.4%
p = .02
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Immunosuppression at baseline and EBV-DNA positivity
| OR (95% CI) | P value | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| ImmunosuppressionAge-adjusted logistic regression | 2.86 (1.08–7.57) | P = 0.03 | |
| 0.10.31310Odds ratio (log scale) |
Laboratory parameters associated with epstein-Barr virus (EBV) detection at baseline
- Higher serum creatinine
- P = 0.02
- Higher urea
- P = 0.04
- Higher ferritin
- P = 0.04
Median SLEDAI-2K with higher viral load (>1000 copies/mL)
- Slight increase in median SLEDAI-2K
- P = 0.07
Original publication
Frequency and clinical associations of Epstein-Barr virus molecular detection in systemic lupus erythematosus: A follow-up study. Lupus. Published 24 March 2026. doi:10.
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