Lack of association between slow acetylator status and spontaneous lupus erythematosus

The Chinese in Southeast Asia are recognized as a population group that has a relatively high prevalence of rapid "acetylators" and a relatively high incidence of systemic lupus erythematosus. This study was designed to evaluate the possibility that there were environmental lupus erythematosus provocative substances eliminated by acetylation that resulted in a preponderance of slow acetylators among patients with the disease. We compared acetylator status in 36 Chinese women with mild, stable, and confirmed lupus erythematosus and 36 healthy control subjects matched for age, sex, and ethnic origin. Acetylator status was determined by use of HPLC to assay 5-acetylamino-6-formylamino-3-methyluracil/methylxanthine (AFMU/MX) and AFMU/(AFMU + MX) ratios in urine 1 to 4 hours after drinking a strong cup of coffee (caffeine). By use of parametric and nonparametric methods of analysis, the frequency distribution of AFMU/MX and AFMU/(AFMU + MX) ratios in both the patients and control subjects were determined to be very similar. Thus there was no association between slow acetylator status and lupus erythematosus in the study subjects.