[Systemic lupus erythematosus--clinical aspects and laboratory findings]

In a retrospective multicenter study 106 patients with systemic lupus erythematosis were analyzed who had had the disease for an average of 8.6 years, and from whom an average of 8 sera were tested within 3 years for current immunologic parameters. Cumulative clinical data showed arthropathies in 86% of the patients, exanthema (67%), cytopenia (58%), and involvement of the kidney (45%), lung (43%) and heart (24%). In at least 1 serum per patient the following immune abnormalities were found: antinuclear antibodies (98%), anti-native DNA (92%), low C3 (71%), low C4 (82%), circulated immunocomplexes (70%) and cold lymphocytotoxins (46%). A clinical score and an immunological score was introduced and the two items were compared: the immune data from a single serum do not provide long-range prognostic information. The present disease state is best reflected by the total immune score, C3 and C4 with, however, many exceptions. Within the disease course of some SLE patients, periods were observed during which no pathological immune serologic data are measureable. This phenomenon may pose diagnostic problems.