الفهرس 
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Abstract
SLE is a systemic autoimmune disorder of unknown etiology, which involves various organs to a variable degree. Vasculitis has a critical role in its pathogenesis. Several manifestations of SLE, and among them LN, neurological involvement, cardio-pulmonary and severe haematologic involvement are important and some of them are closely associated with vasculitis damage. CXCL13 was originally recognized in stromal cells in B-cells follicles as regulating homing of B-lymphocytes and subsets of T-lymphocytes CXCR5 is the receptor for CXCL13 and is expressed on all B-lymphocytes and a subset of T-lymphocytes in blood, lymphatic tissues, and CSF. In previous studies CXCL13 was suggested as a possible new marker of disease activity and CXCL13 expression had been linked to the onset of nephritis in a mouse model for SLE nephritis. The aim of this work is to evaluate serum CXCL13 level in SLE patients and its relation with disease activity and lupus nephritis. This study included consecutive 40 patients with SLE. Patients were recruited from the Physical Medicine, Rheumatology and Rehabilitation Outpatient Clinic, Mansoura University Hospital. The study included also 40 healthy control volunteers. Patients with current renal impairment due to any disease rather than SLE, patients with any medical condition that may produce renal impairment e.g. DM and HTN, acute infection, malignant disease and patients with other autoimmune diseases were excluded from the study. All participants underwent thorough history taking and clinical examination. SLEDAI was evaluated in all SLE patients. Blood samples were collected from both patient and control groups to determine ESR, CRP, Serum creatinine and serum CXCL13 level.