This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Tapanes, F J Articles by Bianco, N Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Tapanes, F J Articles by Bianco, N Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

Cluster analysis of antinuclear autoantibodies in the prognosis of SLE nephropathy: are anti-extractable nuclear antibodies protective?

Centro Nacional de Enfermedades Reumiticas, Rheumatology Division, Caracas 101 OA, Venezuela; ftapanesreacciun.ve

M Vdsquez

School of Statistics; Universidad Central de Venezuela

R Ramirez

Institituto de Inmnunologia; Universidad Central de Venezuela

C Matheus

M A Rodriguez

Centro Nacional de Enfermedades Reumiticas, Ministerio de Salud y Desarrollo Social; Universidad Central de Venezuela

N Bianco

Institituto de Inmnunologia; Universidad Central de Venezuela

To investigate the possible role of anti-ENA autoantibodies in the pathogenesis of SLE nephropathy, we performed a cross sectional clustering study of 91 SLE patients using 75 clinical and laboratory variables examining the presence of anti-dsDNA and ENA autontibodies by ELISA and Western blot. We applied principal component, hierarchical cluster, multiple correspondence and logistical regression analysis. Two polar forms of SLE nephropathy and five clinical groups were identified: group 1 without overt nephropathy (n = 37), group 2 with nephropathy and only proteinuria (n = 19), group 3 nephropathy and only hematuria (n = 11), group 4 with hematuria and proteinuria (n = 14) and group 5 on renal failure (n = 10). When analyzed individually, levels of anti-dsDNA and single anti-ENA antibodies did not allow us to differentiate between renal and non-renal groups. However, when the anti-ENA autoantibodies were analyzed as a cluster, a high predictive value for clinical nephropathy was obtained. Thus, the absence of ENA antibodies (ENA ve or Venezuelan cluster) increased eleven-fold the odds ratio to develop SLE nephropathy. We suggested that the ENA ve cluster may predict development of the most severe forms of renal lupus while the ENA Sm/RNP and the ENA Ro/La/Sm/RNP clusters could be associated with the absence and the most benign form of SLE nephropathy. It must be interesting to apply similar cluster methodology in an SLE population with different ethnic background.

Key Words: anti-ENA autoantibodies • SLE nephropathy • hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) • logistic regression model (LRM) • multiple correspondence analysis (MCA)

Lupus, Vol. 9, No. 6, 437-444 (2000)
DOI: 10.1191/096120300678828604


CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M E Zabaleta-Lanz, L E Munoz, F J Tapanes, R E Vargas-Arenas, I Daboin, Y Barrios, J A Pinto, and N E Bianco Further description of early clinically silent lupus nephritis Lupus, December 1, 2006; 15(12): 845 - 851. [Abstract] [PDF]

				S. Binder Autoantibody Detection Using Multiplex Technologies Lupus, July 1, 2006; 15(7): 412 - 421. [Abstract] [PDF]

				P Alba, L Bento, M J Cuadrado, Y Karim, M F Tungekar, I Abbs, M A Khamashta, D D'Cruz, and G R V Hughes Anti-dsDNA, anti-Sm antibodies, and the lupus anticoagulant: significant factors associated with lupus nephritis Ann Rheum Dis, June 1, 2003; 62(6): 556 - 560. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. D. Heinlen, M. T. McClain, X. Kim, A. I. Q. Del-Rio, J. A. James, J. B. Harley, and R. H. Scofield Letter to the Editor Lupus, April 1, 2003; 12(4): 335 - 337. [PDF]

				M Zabaleta-Lanz, R E Vargas-Arenas, F Tapanes, I Daboin, J A. Pinto, and N E Bianco Silent nephritis in systemic lupus erythematosus Lupus, January 1, 2003; 12(1): 26 - 30. [Abstract] [PDF]