[Rheumatoid factor in systemic lupus erythematosus]

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology
• Immunology
• Internal Medicine

Context:

• Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease.
• Rheumatoid factors (RF) are autoantibodies commonly associated with rheumatoid arthritis.
• The presence and significance of RF in SLE patients require further elucidation.

Purpose:

• To investigate the prevalence and clinical significance of rheumatoid factors (RF) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
• To determine the association between RF and clinical manifestations, disease duration, and age in SLE patients.
• To evaluate the effect of RF on complement fixation to antinuclear factors and the occurrence of renal lesions.

Summary:

• Rheumatoid factors (RF) were identified in 12 out of 105 (11.4%) systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients.
• RF positivity was significantly higher in SLE patients with coexisting chronic polyarthritis.
• No correlation was found between RF and patient age or disease duration. Cold precipitation patterns of RF did not differ between SLE and progressive polyarthritis.
• RF did not impede in vitro complement fixation to antinuclear factors.
• Renal lesions and uremia occurred with similar frequency in SLE patients with and without RF.

Impact:

• This study highlights the association of rheumatoid factors with chronic polyarthritis in SLE patients.
• The findings suggest that RF may serve as a potential biomarker for specific clinical phenotypes within SLE.
• Understanding the role of RF in SLE can aid in refining diagnostic and prognostic approaches.