Detection of Hematological Biomarkers Associated with Lupus Nephritis in a sample of Iraqi Patients

Abstract

This study was conducted on a sample of Iraqi patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) for both lupus arthritis and lupus nephritis. Blood samples were collected from 32 lupus arthritis patients with age ranged between 13 and 50 years, Female percentage was 96.87%. Another 32 blood samples were collected from lupus nephritis patients with age ranged between 16 and 65 years; Female percentage was 90.62%. For comparison, a total of 32 blood sample were also collected from normal individuals (healthy controls), with age ranged between 21 and 54 years, Female percentage was 53.12%. Relationship was studied between clinical blood parameters like total counts of white and red blood cells and platelets, hemoglobin concentration and erythrocytcite sedimentation rate (ESR) and the incidence of SLE. Results showed that there is no significant difference between count of WBC in lupus arthritis (8.47× 10³ cell/ml ) and lupus  nephritis patients (9.13× 10³ cell/ml) and healthy controls (7.99× 10³ cell/ml), while it was found that there is a significant decrease (P<0.01) in RBC count for both lupus arthritis (4.41× 10⁶ cell/ml)  and lupus nephritis patients (4.32× 10⁶ cell/ml) in comparison with RBC count in healthy controls (4.98× 10⁶ cell/ml). Results also showed that there is a significant decrease (P<0.01) in hemoglobin concentration in serum sample for both lupus arthritis (11.83g/dl) and lupus nephritis patients (11.79g/dl) in comparison with hemoglobin concentration (13.69g/dl) in healthy controls. On the other hand it was found that there is no any significant difference between platelets count in lupus arthritis (270.81×10³ platelet/ml) and lupus nephritis patients (255.01×10³ platelet/ml) and normal healthy controls (275.94× 10³ platelet/ml). Results also showed that there is a significant increase (P<0.01) in ESR for both lupus arthritis (38.53mm/hr) and lupus nephritis patients (44.0 mm/hr) in comparison with ESR for healthy controls (13.09mm/hr). According to these results, clinical blood parameter including RBC count, hemoglobin concentration and ESR were regarded a clinical parameter for detecting SLE in Iraqi patients.