Reticuloendothelial system Fc receptor function in the drug induced lupus erythematosus syndrome

In view of reported delayed clearance of 51Cr labelled IgG sensitized autologous erythrocytes in systemic lupus erythematosus, we measured clearance half-time (t1/2) in 16 patients with the drug induced lupus erythematosus syndrome. The mean t1/2 for the patients with drug induced lupus was 52 min, and for 16 normals mean was 48 min, a difference without statistical significance. Nine of the patients with drug induced lupus had laboratory abnormalities only, and mean t1/2 in this group was not significantly different from that in the 7 symptomatic patients. T1/2 was not significantly associated with Clq or DNA binding levels in symptomatic or asymptomatic patients. Normal mean clearance of model immune complexes was thus present in patients with drug induced lupus, with and without symptoms, and may protect against renal and central nervous system disease in drug induced lupus erythematosus.