Clinical and Laboratory Manifestations of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in Pakistani Lupus Patients

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease characterized by the presence of autoantibodies. These antibodies bind to circulating antigens to form immune complexes that get deposit on the tissue and bring about the symptoms of SLE. The main objectives of this study were to enlighten the clinical manifestations common in Pakistani SLE patients; to quantify the wide range of serum autoantibodies and their association with SLE. A total of 61 SLE patients fulfilling ACR criteria and 61 healthy blood donors were included in this study. Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay technique was used for the detection and quantification of autoantibodies like ANA, dsDNA, anti-SSA, anti-SSB, anti-histone, and anti-Sm. Complications include mucocutaneous involvement, lupus nephritis, serositis, bull eye maculopathy, cardiovascular problem, Raynaud’s phenomenon as well as various syndromes overlapped with SLE. Immunological parameters like ANA and anti-dsDNA showed a significant association (p<0.05) with SLE. The mean of anti-SSA was found to be significantly higher in Pakistani SLE patients as compared to other autoantibodies. Furthermore, anti-SSA and anti-histone showed a significant difference (p<0.05) with the known cut-off value. Thus one can conclude that SLE is a multifactorial disorder and the variety of autoantibodies are might be the primary cause of tissue damage in such patients.