This study was conducted on 28 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and 10 age and sex matched healthy individuals as "controls group". The mean expression of CD154 on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) was measured by flow cytometry, and the level of IL-10 was measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In SLE patients, the disease activity was assessed using the SLE disease activity Index (SLEDAI). The patients were classified according to SLEDAI into 3 groups : group A with severe activity, group B with moderate activity and group C with mild activity. The mean expression of CD154 on PBMC was significantly higher in patients than in the control group (P < 0.001). The mean expression in group A or group B was significantly higher than in group C (P < 0.001 in both) and that of group A is significantly higher than that of group B (P < 0.001). Regarding IL10, the level of IL10 was significantly higher in patients with SLE than in the control group (P < 0.001) and that of group A or B was significantly higher than that of group C (P < 0.001 in both). Also IL-10 level in group A was significantly higher than in group B (P < 0.01). So it can be concluded that the mean expression of CD154 on PBMC and the level of IL-10 were higher in SLE patients than in the control group and can be used as markers of disease activity.
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