OBJECTIVE To compare the performance characteristics of cell-bound complement (C4d) activation products (CBCAPS) on erythrocyte (EC4d) and B cells (BC4d) with antibodies to double-stranded DNA (anti-dsDNA) and complement C3 and C4 in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). METHODS The study enrolled 794 subjects consisting of 304 SLE and a control group consisting of 285 patients with other rheum...

INTRODUCTION As the immunosuppressive potency of 15-deoxyspergualin (DSG) has been shown in the therapy of renal transplant rejection and Wegener's granulomatosis, the intention of this study was to evaluate the safety of DSG in the therapy of lupus nephritis (LN). METHODS Patients with histologically proven active LN after prior treatment with at least one immunosuppressant were treated with...

OBJECTIVE Accurate assessment of lupus flares is critical but problematic in clinical trials. This study examined the impact of modifications to the classic Safety of Estrogens in Lupus Erythematosus National Assessment (SELENA)-SLEDAI flare index (cSFI). METHODS Ninety-one SLE patient records were evaluated at two visits at which the SLEDAI and BILAG had been scored prospectively. The cSFI w...

Objective Two apolipoprotein L1 ( APOL1 ) risk variants (RV) are enriched in sub-Saharan African populations due to conferred resistance Trypanosoma brucei . These associate with adverse renal outcomes by multiple causes including SLE. Despite emerging reports that SLE is common Ghana, where variant allelic frequencies high, the regional contribution has not been described. Accordingly, this pr...

Tehran is one of the densely populated metropolises located in earthquake-prone regions. Tehran, the population of which surpasses 8 million people, is the most populated area in Iran. There are historical evidences confirming that catastrophic earthquakes have destroyed the city in past years. In the present paper, our study covers all parts of Tehran because there is the potential of signific...

Objectives: To validate the SIMPLE index for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) disease activity assessment in Chinese patients. Methods: Adult patients (age ≥18 years) who fulfilled 2013 SLICC criteria SLE and were followed Rheumatology clinics of Tuen Mun Hospital, Hong Kong recruited a cross-sectional study. Participants invited to complete questionnaire before seeing doctors on same day. Th...

Base catalyzed condensation of enaminoketones (3a,b) with malononitrile yields the respective 7-imino-5[2(substituted)prop-1-enyl]furochromene-6-carbonitriles (4a-d) according to the nature of base used. Compounds (3a, b) condense also with indan-1,3-diketone (5) to give α, β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds (6a) and (6b), respectively. Pyrrolidine-catalyzed condensation of visnaginone (2a) and k...