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Smoking, disease activity, permanent damage and dsDNA autoantibody production in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

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Abstract

The aim was to study the association of smoking with the activity and severity of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and the production of antibodies to dsDNA. The study included 223 SLE patients attending the outpatient clinics at Helsinki University Central Hospital. The history of smoking was obtained by personal interview, and clinical data related to SLE by interview, clinical examination and chart review. The activity of SLE was assessed by the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) score and permanent damage by the SLICC/ACR score. Antibodies to dsDNA were determined by three ELISA assays, by the indirect immunofluorescence technique using Crithidia luciliae cells as substrates and by the Farr assay. There were no significant differences in the SLEDAI scores between current smokers (73 patients), ex-smokers (59) and never-smokers (91), though current smokers tended to have lower disease activity. The SLICC/ACR scores between the groups were practically equal. Current smokers had significantly lower levels of antibodies to dsDNA than ex- and never-smokers (p = 0.025). Our study suggests that cigarette smoke may have immunosuppressive effect on autoantibody production in patients with SLE. Permanent damage was not found to be associated with smoking.

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Acknowledgments

The study has been supported by the Research Fund of Helsinki University Central Hospital.

Conflict of interest

The authors have no conflict of interest to declare.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 20, 00014, Helsinki, Finland

    Susanne Ekblom-Kullberg & Marjatta Leirisalo-Repo

  2. Finnish Red Cross Blood Service, Kivihaantie 7, 00310, Helsinki, Finland

    Susanne Ekblom-Kullberg

  3. Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 20, 00014, Helsinki, Finland

    Hannu Kautiainen

  4. Department of General Practice, Primary Health Care Unit, Turku University Hospital, P.O. Box 52, 20521, Turku, Finland

    Hannu Kautiainen

  5. National Institute for Health and Welfare, P.O. Box 30, 00271, Helsinki, Finland

    Pirkko Alha

  6. Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Helsinki University Central Hospital (HUS), P.O. Box 372, 00029, Helsinki, Finland

    Marjatta Leirisalo-Repo

  7. Haartman Institute, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 21, 00014, Helsinki, Finland

    Aaro Miettinen

  8. Department of Immunology, Laboratory Diagnostics, Helsinki University Central Hospital (HUS), P.O. Box 720, 00029, Helsinki, Finland

    Aaro Miettinen

  9. Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Helsinki University Central Hospital (HUS), Peijas Hospital, P.O. Box 900, 00029, Vantaa, Finland

    Heikki Julkunen

Authors
  1. Susanne Ekblom-Kullberg
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  2. Hannu Kautiainen
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  3. Pirkko Alha
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  4. Marjatta Leirisalo-Repo
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  5. Aaro Miettinen
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  6. Heikki Julkunen
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Correspondence to Susanne Ekblom-Kullberg.

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Ekblom-Kullberg, S., Kautiainen, H., Alha, P. et al. Smoking, disease activity, permanent damage and dsDNA autoantibody production in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Rheumatol Int 34, 341–345 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-013-2889-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-013-2889-7

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