ORIGINAL ARTICLE   

Panminerva Medica 2018 December;60(4):151-55

DOI: 10.23736/S0031-0808.18.03466-3

Copyright © 2018 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Correlations of serum cystatin C and hs-CRP with vascular endothelial cell injury in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Dong GAO, Juan SHAO, Waishu JIN, Xiujuan XIA, Yan QU ✉

Department of Dermatology, Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital, Yantai, China

BACKGROUND: To investigate the correlations of serum cystatin C and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) with vascular endothelial cell injury in patients with active systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
METHODS: A total of 80 patients with SLE treated in our hospital from January 2016 to September 2017 were selected and randomly divided into stable-stage group (N.=40) and active-stage group (N.=40) using a random number table. The expressions of cystatin C and hs-CRP in stable and active stages were compared, and the inner diameters of brachial artery and levels of vascular endothelial growth factors in stable and active stages were also compared. The correlations of expressions of cystatin C and hs-CRP in active stage with the inner diameter of brachial artery and vascular endothelial growth factor were analyzed. At the same time, the correlation between vascular endothelial growth factor and inner diameter of brachial artery in active stage was analyzed.
RESULTS: The level of cystatin C in active stage was higher than that in stable stage (P<0.05), and the expression level of hs-CRP in active stage was also higher than that in stable stage (P<0.05). The inner diameter of brachial artery in active stage was smaller than that in stable stage (P<0.05), but the level of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was higher than that in stable stage (P<0.05). The expressions of cystatin C and hs-CRP were negatively correlated with the inner diameter of brachial artery in active stage (P<0.05). The expressions of cystatin C and hs-CRP were positively correlated with VEGF in active stage (P<0.05). Moreover, there was a negative correlation between VEGF and inner diameter of brachial artery in active stage (P<0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: Levels of cystatin C and hs-CRP are significantly increased in patients with active SLE, and the increase degrees are negatively correlated with the inner diameter of brachial artery under ultrasound, but positively correlated with the level of VEGF in vivo.

KEY WORDS: Serum cystatin C - hs-CRP - Systemic lupus erythematosus - Vascular endothelial cell function