Aim Behçet's disease (BD) is a chronic autoimmune vasculitic disorder of unclear pathogenesis. CCN2/CTGF (connective tissue growth factor) is one of the CCN family members which carry out pro‐angiogenic biological functions and play an important role in inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. The aim of the present study was to assess CCN2 plasma concentrations in BD patients and to analyze their association with clinical features of the disease, activity and laboratory parameters. Methods We included 87 BD patients and 60 healthy control subjects matched for age and gender. Demographic, clinical, disease activity and severity data were recorded. Plasma CCN2 concentrations were measured using enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Results The plasma concentrations of CCN2 in BD patients were significantly elevated compared to healthy controls. The mean plasma CCN2 levels in patients with major organ involvement were significantly higher than those without. Patients who received steroids or cyclophosphamide showed a significant reduction in CCN2 levels. This was confirmed by the results of multivariate analysis. Patients with active ocular disease had a significant increase in CCN2 compared to the inactive group. On the other hand, CCN2 levels were not significantly correlated with overall disease activity and severity scores. Conclusion Behçet's disease patients showed a significant increase of CCN2 levels, especially in the group of patients with major organ involvement. A significant reduction of these levels was found in patients who received steroids or cyclophosphamide. Larger studies with further investigations of the precise role of CCN2 in BD pathogenesis might lead to novel therapies for the clinical management of this disease.
The aim of this work was to study the prevalence and risk factors of liver biochemical abnormalities in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and to investigate the cause of these abnormalities. Patients and methodsA total of 200 SLE patients attending the Rheumatology and Rehabilitation Department, Cairo University, were subjected to full medical history, assessment of disease activity using SLE disease activity index, calculation of BMI, laboratory investigations including complete blood count (CBC), erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C3, C4, liver and kidney functions, lipid profile, antinuclear antibodies, and anti-dsDNA. Patients with alteration of liver functions had further laboratory tests including viral hepatitis markers, hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies, hepatitis B virus surface antigen and hepatitis A virus antibodies, PCR for patients who had HCV-positive tests, autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) profile (antimitochondrial antibodies, antismooth muscle antibodies, and anti-liver-kidney microsomal antibodies), antiphospholipid profile (anticardiolipin, lupus anticoagulant, and B 2 glycoproteins), creatine phoshokinase (CPK), and abdominal ultrasound. ResultsThe prevalence of liver biochemical abnormalities was 6.5% two patients (15.4%) had HCVpositive antibodies, two patients (15.4%) had probable AIH, five patients (38.5%) had fatty liver, four patients (30.8%) had drug-induced hepatotoxicity, and two patients (15.4%) had no cause other than SLE itself. Hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and hyperlipidemia were more frequent in patients with elevated liver enzymes. ConclusionThe prevalence of elevated liver enzymes among SLE patients attending the Rheumatology and Rehabilitation Department during the time of the study was 6.5%. The most common liver abnormality was found to be fatty liver, affecting 38.5% of the patients, followed by drug-induced hepatotoxicity (30.8%), and then HCV infection, AIH, and SLE (each 15.4%).
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