Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies in new-onset systemic lupus erythematosus

Background: the clinical significance of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies in patients with new-onset systemic lupus erythematosus,especially in systemic disease accompanied by interstitial lung disease remains to be elucidated. objectives: this study was designed to investigate the role of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies in new-onset systemic lupus erythematosus patients. methods: a hundred and seven patients with new-onset sle were enrolled. presence of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies in the sera was assessed by indirect immunofluorescence as well as enzyme linked immunosorbent assay against proteinase-3 and myeloperoxidase. clinical features and laboratory parameters of patients were also recorded. all patients were subjected to chest x-ray,chest high-resolution computed tomography and pulmonary function test. results: forty-five systemic lupus erythematosus patients (45/107,42%) were seropositive for anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies. compared with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies-negative patients,the anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies-positive patients had significantly higher incidence of renal involvement,anemia,and raynaud’s phenomenon as well as decreased serum level of complement 3/complement 4 and elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate. in addition,there was a positive correlation between serum anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies level and disease activity of systemic lupus erythematosus. furthermore,prevalence of interstitial lung disease in the anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies -positive patients (25/45,55.6%) was obviously higher than that in the anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies-negative patients (15/62,24.2%). study limitations: the sample size was limited and the criteria for screening new-onset systemic lupus erythematosus patients might produce bias. conclusions: the level of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies in new-onset systemic lupus erythematosus patients correlates positively with the disease activity and the prevalence of interstitial lung disease. © 2017 by anais brasileiros de dermatologia.