Lupus & antiphospholipid syndrome
Microvascular C5b-9 deposition in non-lesional skin in patients with SLE and its correlation with active lupus nephritis: a prospective observational study
Authors' conclusion
This is the first study to demonstrate evidence in non-lesional skin of microvascular C5b-9 indicative of systemic complement pathway activation in LN. C5b-9 deposition is statistically more common and demonstrated greater specificity than most historical biomarkers for active LN.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with SLE with or without active lupus nephritis (LN) undergoing non-lesional skin biopsies
- Participants
- 8 vs 8
- Exposure
- Active LN vs no active LN
- Active LNn = 8
- Without active LNn = 8reference
- Outcome
- Microvascular C5b-9 deposition in non-lesional skin (diaminobenzidine technique)
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Positive C5b-9 staining in non-lesional skin
Active LN
5
events
Without active LN
1
events
P = 0.04
- Specificity of positive non-lesional C5b-9 staining for active LN (greater than pyuria, low complements, elevated double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) and proteinuria)
- 87.5%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Urine protein creatinine ratio by non-lesional C5b-9 deposition (positive vs negative)
- Significantly higher with positive non-lesional C5b-9 deposition (5.18 vs 1.20; p=0.04)
NIH Activity Index, interstitial fibrosis, dsDNA, complements
- C5b-9 deposition not associated with higher NIH Activity Index, interstitial fibrosis, dsDNA or lower complements
Original publication
Microvascular C5b-9 deposition in non-lesional skin in patients with SLE and its correlation with active lupus nephritis: a prospective observational study. Lupus Sci Med. Published 24 October 2023. doi:10.
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