A longitudinal study on patients with systemic lupus erythematosus accompanied by active cytome-galovirus infection

Abstract

Objective To observe the change of the status of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection and its relationship with the change of disease activity in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) complicated by active CMV infection. Methods Patients with SLE complicated with active CMV infection were enrolled and divided into two groups: the therapy group (on ganciclovir) and non-therapy group (not on ganci-clovir). All the patients were followed up regularly and the detection of CMV infection as well as the evaluation of disease activity of SLE [systemiclupus erythematosus disease activity index (SLEDAI) 2000] were made at each visit. Results Altogether 102 patients were enrolled (66 in the therapy group and 36 in the non-therapy group) and the duration of follow up was (6±8) months (0.5-48 months). The active CMV infection changed to past infection status in 45.1%(46/102) patients. The change occurred in 42.4%(28/66) patients in the therapy group and in 50.0% (18/36) patients in the non-therapy group (χ2=0.540, P=0.462). The duration of the active CMV infection was not significantly different in the therapy group and non therapy group [(5.0±1.3) months vs (5.4±3.3) months, P=0.794]. In patients with this change, the SLEDAI at baseline 12±6 was significantly higher than at the time of change 4±3 (t=7.037, P<0.01), and the decrease of SLEDAI was 8±5, which was signific-antly larger than that in those without this change 4±4 (t=3.116, P=0.003). Conclusion In SLE patients with active CMV infection, nearly half of them changes to past infection after 5 months and anti-virus therapy seems to have little effect on this. The better the disease is controlled, the higher the percentage of active CMV infection is controlled. Key words: Lupus erythematosis, systemic; Cytomegalovirus infections; Follow-up studies