Correlation between sera levels of sVCAM-1 and severity of kidney lesions in patients with lupus nephritis

We determined sera concentrations of soluble vascular adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) in group of 80 patients with SLE. Our aim was to investigate correlation between level of sVCAM-1 and degree of disease activity, also severity of lupus nephritis. Using ELISA procedure we determined sera levels of sVCAM-1 in 80 patients with SLE and in group of 27 healthy volunteers. Patients with SLE had significantly higher sera levels of sVCAM-1 comparing healthy controls (p < 0,001). Patients with disease in active phase had higher sera levels of this adhesive molecule comparing patients with disease in phase of remission (p < 0,001). There was a high positive correlation between sera levels of sVCAM-1 and concentration of anti-ds DNK antibodies in sera of patients with SLE (r = 0,77, p < 0,001) and there was also negative correlation between sera levels of sVCAM-1 and sera concentrations of C3 and C4 component of complement (r = 0,64, r = - 0,58). In group of patients with lupus nephritis were detected significantly higher sera concentrations of sVCAM-1 comparing patients without nephritis. Using WHO classification, patients with lupus nephritis were systematized in three categories: class II (5 patients), classes III and IV (18 patients) and class V (7 patients). Patients with class III and class IV of kidney changes had significantly higher levels of sVCAM-1 comparing patients with class II of kidney changes. At the same time, in group of patients with activity index (AI) of kidney changes over 4 sVCAM-1 sera levels were significantly higher comparing group with AI < 4. Sera level of sVCAM-1 is reliable parameter in evaluation of autoreactivity degree in SLE. At the same time, sVCAM-1 sera level can be used as reliable marker in evaluation of renal lesion extensivity in SLE.