Plasma galectin‐3 levels do not differ in systemic lupus erythematosus patients

Objective To investigate the plasma galectin‐3 levels in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients and its relations with clinical and laboratory features. Methods A total of 180 subjects with 90 patients with SLE (8 male, 82 female, mean age 37.86 ± 13.98 years) and 90 healthy controls (8 male, 82 female, mean age 36.54 ± 10.89 years) were included. Plasma galectin‐3 levels were detected by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results There was no significant difference in age and gender distribution between SLE patients and healthy controls (both P  > .05). Plasma galectin‐3 level was not significantly different between SLE patients and controls ( P  = .982) ( P  > .05). No significant difference was found regarding galectin‐3 levels between SLE with nephritis and those without nephritis ( P  > .05); no significant difference was found between less active SLE and more active SLE ( P  > .05). Galectin‐3 levels were inversely related to immune globulin M ( r  = −.303, P  < .05), while no significant correlation between galectin‐3 levels and other quantitative laboratory parameters were observed (all P  > .05). Conclusions In summary, plasma galectin‐3 level was not significantly different between SLE patients and controls ( P  = .982). Further studies are needed to elucidate the role of galectin‐3 in SLE.