Objective: To investigate the clinical utility of anti-nucleosome antibodies (anti-NCS) for the diagnosis of SLE and as a marker of disease activity. Also, to explore their role in biopsy-proven lupus nephritis.
Methodology: The study was conducted on 83 SLE patients diagnosed according to the revised ACR criteria. Serum IgG anti-NCS antibodies were detected with ELISA for the patients and 100 matched apparently healthy subjects as, a control group. Renal biopsies were performed for 44 patients with renal involvement and classified according to the WHO classification criteria.
Results: Serum anti-NCS antibodies levels were significantly higher in patients with renal affection, arthritis (p