Diagnostic and Prognostic Values of Antinuclear Immunoglobulin G in Pediatric Lupus Patients

Systemic lupus erythematous (SLE) as an autoimmune caused by self immunoglobulin. It was proposed that the chromatin including nucleosomes is the main antigen in the pathogenesis of SLE, and that antinuclear immunoglobulin G are associated with disease activity. Aim of the study was to study the diagnostic and prognostic value of serum levels of antinuclear immunoglobulin G as the most famous anti-chromatin immunoglobulin as a diagnostic tool and a disease activity marker in juvenile systemic lupus erythematous. Methods. The work was conducted on 90 pediatric Lupus patients who attended to the Pediatric Nephrology Unit of Pediatric Department of Tanta University Hospital. Also on thirty apparently healthy children with matched age and sex served as a control group. All subjects were subjected to history in details, clinical examination, SLEDAI score, anti-dsDNA and antinuclear immunoglobulin G assay . Results. The mean serum level of antinuclear immunoglobulin G was statistically significantly higher in patients than controls (P < .001). But there was no statistically significant difference between patients’ subgroups. There was a weak positive correlation between serum antinuclear immunoglobulin G and SLEDAI score (r = 0.213) but strong correlation between anti-dsDNA antibody and SLEDAI score (r = 0.711). Antinuclear immunoglobulin G showed higher sensitivity but equal specificity to anti-dsDNA antibody for the diagnosis of ped.iatric lupus patients. Conclusion. Antinuclear immunoglobulin G are more accurate than anti-dsDNA antibodies in the diagnosis of pediatric lupus patients in anti-dsDNA negative children as antinuclear immunoglobulin G have higher sensitivity but as regard to disease activity antidsDNA antibody is more accurate.