Evaluating treatment effect on interferon-alpha in female patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: a case-control study.

Abstract

To assess the effect of treatment on interferon-alpha titer in the serum of female patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. The case-control study was conducted at the Rheumatology Unit of Baghdad Teaching Hospital from January 2022 to April 2022 and comprised female systemic lupus erythematosus patients and healthy controls matched for age. The treated patients formed group A, while the untreated patients were placed in group B, and the controls were in group C. The disease severity status was confirmed using the systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity index. The serum level of interferon-alpha was determined using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Data was analysed using SPSS 21. Of the 150 subjects, 5033.3%) were in each of the 3 groups. The mean age of patients was 32.3±9 years while that of the controls was 33.0±11 years. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate, creatinine and aspartate aminotransferase were significantly higher in patient groups compared to the controls (p<0.05), while no-significant difference was noted between the treated and untreated groups (p>0.05). Interferon-alpha level was significantly high in group B compared to group A (p=0.037). The increase was more pronounced in those aged ≤50 years (p<0.05). Interferon-alpha was significantly high in group B patients with a disease duration of <1 year compared to group A (p=0.01). Interferon-alpha showed a significant increase in group B compared to the group A in patients with inactive systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity index and with family history (p<0.05). Treatment had a direct impact on interferon-alpha protein level in the serum of female patients of systemic lupus erythematosus.