Abstract Objective To investigate the levels of serum interleukin (IL)-6 and soluble tumor necrosis factor-like weak inducer of apoptosis (sTWEAK) in patients with neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE) and their clinical significance. Methods A total of 165 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus admitted to Cangzhou Central Hospital in Hebei Province from February 2017 to September 2021 were selected and divided into NPSLE group (68 cases) and non-NPSLE group (97 cases) according to the occurrence of NPSLE. In addition, according to the systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity index (SLEDAI) score, the patients in the NPSLE group were divided into mild group (23 cases), moderate group (26 cases), and severe group (19 cases). Serum levels of IL-6 and sTWEAK were detected, and the related factors of NPSLE and the value of IL-6 and sTWEAK in the diagnosis of NPSLE were analyzed. Results The age of onset in the NPSLE group was lower than that in the non-NPSLE group, the disease duration was longer than that in the non-NPSLE group, and the SLEDAI score was higher than that in the non-NPSLE group, with statistically significant differences (P ＜ 0.05). The serum levels of IL-6 and sTWEAK in the NPSLE group were higher than those in the non-NPSLE group, and the differences were statistically significant (P ＜ 0.05). There were significant differences in serum IL-6 and sTWEAK levels in NPSLE patients with different SLEDAI scores (P ＜ 0.05). Among them, those of the severe group were higher than those of the moderate group and the mild group, while those of the moderate group were higher than those of the mild group, and the differences were statistically significant (P ＜ 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that SLEDAI score (OR = 1.872, 95%CI: 1.533-2.286, P ＜ 0.001), IL-6 (OR = 1.370, 95%CI: 1.113-1.687, P = 0.002), sTWEAK (OR = 1.508, 95%CI: 1.185-1.920, P < 0.001) were risk factors for NPSLE. The areas under the curve of IL-6 and sTWEAK in the diagnosis of NPSLE were 0.698 and 0.692, and the area under the curve of combined IL-6 and sTWEAK in the diagnosis of NPSLE was 0.854, which was higher than that of IL-6 and sTWEAK alone (P ＜ 0.05). Conclusion Serum levels of IL-6 and sTWEAK are increased in NPSLE patients, and are related to the occurrence and disease activity of NPSLE, which can be used as auxiliary biological indicators for the diagnosis of NPSLE.
PANG Jie ZHANG Zongfang LI Yanxia TAO Ran YANG Wenwen XU Huaheng. Serum IL-6 and sTWEAK levels in patients with neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus and their clinical significance[J]. 中国医药导报, 2022, 19(14): 125-129.
