METHODS: The levels of serum
connective tissue growth factor in patients with non-renal
systemic lupus erythematosus and
lupus nephritis were both significantly higher than those in the normal control group (34.14 ± 12.17 ng/ml vs. 22.8 ± 3.0 ng/ml, p<0.001; 44.1 ± 46.8 ng/ml vs. 22.8 ± 3.0 ng/ml, p = 0.035, respectively). There was no significant difference of the serum
connective tissue growth factor levels between non-renal
systemic lupus erythematosus and
lupus nephritis group (34.14 ± 12.17 ng/ml vs. 44.1 ± 46.8 ng/ml, p = 0.183). Serum
connective tissue growth factor levels were significantly higher in
lupus nephritis patients with the following clinical manifestations, including anaemia (51.3 ± 51.4 ng/ml vs. 23.4 ± 9.7 ng/ml, p<0.001) and
acute renal failure (85.5 ± 75.0 ng/ml vs. 31.2 ± 21.8 ng/ml, p = 0.002). Serum
connective tissue growth factor levels in class IV were significantly higher than that in class II, III and V (57.6 ± 57.5 ng/ml vs. 18.7 ± 6.4 ng/ml, p = 0.019; 57.6 ± 57.5 ng/ml vs. 25.2 ± 14.9 ng/ml, p = 0.006; 57.6 ± 57.5 ng/ml vs. 30.5 ± 21.3 ng/ml, p = 0.017, respectively). Serum
connective tissue growth factor levels were significantly higher in those with both active/chronic lesions than those in those with active lesions only in either class IV (84.9 ± 69.6 ng/ml vs. 40.0 ± 40.2 ng/ml, p = 0.001) or in combination of class III and IV
lupus nephritis (63.3 ± 63.4 ng/ml vs. 38.3 ± 37.9 ng/ml, p = 0.035, respectively). Serum
connective tissue growth factor levels were negatively associated with estimated glomerular filtration rate (r = -0.46, p<0.001) and positively associated with interstitial
inflammation (r = 0.309, p = 0.002) and interstitial
fibrosis (r = 0.287, p = 0.004). Serum
connective tissue growth factor level was a risk factor for doubling of serum
creatinine in
lupus nephritis (p<0.001, hazard ratio = 1.015, 95% confidence intervals 1.008-1.022) in univariate analysis.
CONCLUSIONS: