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Serum and urine interleukin‐17A levels as biomarkers of disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus
Author(s) -
Nordin Fariz,
Shaharir Syahrul Sazliyana,
Abdul Wahab Asrul,
Mustafar Ruslinda,
Abdul Gafor Abdul Halim,
Mohamed Said Mohd Shahrir,
Rajalingham Sakthiswary,
Shah Shamsul Azhar
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
international journal of rheumatic diseases
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.795
H-Index - 41
eISSN - 1756-185X
pISSN - 1756-1841
DOI - 10.1111/1756-185x.13615
Subject(s) - medicine , urine , mucocutaneous zone , lupus nephritis , immunology , creatinine , urinary system , gastroenterology , receiver operating characteristic , area under the curve , systemic lupus erythematosus , disease
Objectives This study examined the correlations of both serum and urine interleukin‐17A (IL‐17A) levels with disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). This study was also aimed at determining their sensitivity and specificity as biomarkers of disease activity in SLE. Methods A cross‐sectional study was performed involving SLE patients (n = 120 patients) from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre (UKMMC). Serum and urinary IL‐17A levels were determined by immunoassay while disease activity was assessed using Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index‐2000 (SLEDAI‐2K) and British Isles Lupus Assessment Group's 2004 index (BILAG 2004) scores. The correlations between serum and urinary IL‐17A levels with total SLEDAI‐2K and BILAG 2004 scores were determined using bivariate correlation analyses. Receiver operating characteristic curves were calculated to determine their sensitivity and specificity as disease activity biomarkers. Results Both serum and urinary IL‐17A levels correlated with total scores of BILAG 2004, BILAG renal, BILAG mucocutaneous, and SLEDAI‐2K ( P < 0.05). Urine IL‐17A levels correlated positively with urine protein : creatinine index while serum IL‐17 level correlated with the BILAG hematology score (all P < 0.05). The area under curve of serum IL‐17A and urine IL‐17A with BILAG and SLEDAI scores were low (<0.75). Conclusion Despite positive correlations between serum and urine IL‐17A with SLE disease activity, both were neither sensitive nor specific as biomarkers to predict active disease. Hence, IL‐17 measurement has no role in SLE disease activity assessments and future studies are needed to search for other reliable activity biomarkers.