The contribution of antiphospholipid antibodies to organ damage in systemic lupus erythematosus

Abstract

Objectives: The objective of this study was to assess the contribution of clinically significant antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) to organ damage in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Methods: Patients with disease duration of less than 10 years and at least 5 years of follow-up were identified from two SLE registries. A clinically significant antiphospholipid antibody (aPL) profile was defined as: positive lupus anticoagulant, anticardiolipin IgG/M ≥ 40 G phospholipid units (GPL)/M phospholipid units (MPL), and/or anti-β2-glycoprotein-I IgG/M ≥ 99th percentile on two or more occasions, at least 12 weeks apart. Organ damage was assessed by the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics Damage Index (SDI). Univariate and multivariate analysis compared SLE patients with and without SDI increase during a 15-year follow-up.

Results: Among 262 SLE patients, 33% had a clinically significant aPL profile, which was associated with an increased risk of organ damage accrual during a 5-year follow-up in univariate analysis, and during a 15-year follow-up in the multivariate analysis adjusting for age, gender, race, disease duration at registry entry, and time. In the multivariate analysis, older age at diagnosis and male gender were also associated with SDI increase at each time point.

Conclusion: A clinically significant aPL profile is associated with an increased risk of organ damage accrual during a 15-year follow-up in SLE patients.

Keywords: Systemic lupus erythematosus; antiphospholipid antibodies; organ damage.