الفهرس 
PATHOGENESIS OF SLEOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a prototypic autoimmune disease with a complex pathogenesis involving multiple genetic and environmental factors. The clinical course of lupus disease usually occurs in exacerbation and remission pattern. It may involve virtually any organ and have a wide range of disease severity. Cell death has been regarded as an important event in lupus pathogenesis as it leads to release of antigens as nucleic acid for immune complex formation that leads to detrimental effects causing manifestations of SLE. The aim of this study was to estimate cf-DNA as diagnostic and prognostic marker in SLE patients in correlation with anti-double stranded DNA. 75 SLE patients were chosen from rheumatology department Ain shams university hospitals and were subjected to full rheumatological and laboratory investigations.
They were classified retrospectively to 2 groups (Ia and Ib). group (Ia) comprised 45 SLE patients under therapy. group (Ib) comprised 30 SLE patients without therapy and 25 age and sex matched healthy subjects were enrolled as a control group (II). The plasma level of cf-DNA and other laboratory tests used for evaluation of SLE activity were done for all groups.
Results revealed significant difference between studied groups regarding total leucocytic count, platelet, hemoglobin, ESR, C3 and C4. Also there were statistically significant differences regarding ANA and anti-DNA titre.
Our study revealed that there was significant increase in cf-DNA level in SLE patients compared to controls; the cf-DNA level was also significantly higher in SLE patients without therapy compared to SLE patients under therapy. There was positive correlation between cf-DNA, ANA and anti-ds-DNA titre in SLE patients. from the results of this study it could be possible to use level of cf-DNA as a diagnostic and prognostic marker in SLE disease.
In conclusion: Plasma level of cf-DNA is significantly increased in SLE patients and showed more increase in patient recently diagnosed still not under therapy than patient on therapy and positively correlated with the serum level of anti-ds-DNA antibodies, which mean that estimation of cf-DNA could be used as a valuable diagnostic and prognostic marker in SLE patients.