The clinical significance of antibodies to ribosomal protein P (a-Rib-P) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and antiphospholipid syndrome

The aim – to determine the clinical significance of hyperproduction of antibodies to ribosomal protein P (a-Rib-P) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). Material and methods . The study included 68 patients with reliable diagnoses of SLE and APS (SLE – 25, SLE+APS – 19, primary APS (PAPS) – 24). Young (35,1±10,2 years) women prevailed (72,1%). All patients were examined according to the standards recommended by the Association of Rheumatologists of Russia, and also examined by a psychiatrist. a-Rib-P was determined in all patients and 20 healthy donors, matched by gender and age, by enzyme immunoassay in blood serum. Results . The concentration of a-Rib-P in patients was significantly higher than in healthy donors (0.004 [0.003; 0.015] vs 0.002 [0.002; 0.003] U/ml, respectively; p =0.002). Elevated a-Rib-P values were detected in 6 (13.6%) out of 44 patients with SLE, but were not detected in PAPS and in healthy donors. In patients with current neurological disorders (stroke/epilepsy/hyperkinesis), the concentration of a-Rib-P is statistically significantly higher than in their absence (0.004 [0.003; 0.021] vs 0.002 [0.002; 0.003] U/ml, respectively; p =0.001). The concentration of a-Rib-P is significantly higher in patients with SLE and elevated values of antibodies to double stranded DNA/anti-Smith antibodies (a-Sm), compared with those with normal values of these autoantibodies (0.005 [0.004; 0.106] vs 0.004 [0.002; 1.35], respectively; p =0.007 and 2.41 [0.058; 10.3] vs 0.005 [0.002; 0.012] U/ml, respectively; p=0.001). Patients with an increased a-Rib-P value had a significantly higher chance of skin (odds ratio (OR) – 17.0; p