PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - ANAM. BERTOLI AU - LUIS M. VILÁ AU - JOHN D. REVEILLE AU - GRACIELA S. ALARCÓN TI - Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in a Multiethnic US Cohort (LUMINA): LXI. Value of C-Reactive Protein as a Marker of Disease Activity and Damage AID - 10.3899/jrheum.080175 DP - 2008 Dec 01 TA - The Journal of Rheumatology PG - 2355--2358 VI - 35 IP - 12 4099 - http://www.jrheum.org/content/35/12/2355.short 4100 - http://www.jrheum.org/content/35/12/2355.full SO - J Rheumatol2008 Dec 01; 35 AB - Objective To determine whether C-reactive protein (CRP) measured by a high sensitivity (hs) assay is a surrogate marker of disease activity and damage in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Methods Five hundred eighty-eight patients with SLE participating in a multiethnic cohort (Hispanic, African American, and Caucasian) were studied. Disease activity was measured with the Systemic Lupus Activity Measure-Revised (SLAM-R) and damage with the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC) Damage Index (SDI). hs-CRP was measured by immunometric assay. Disease activity and hs-CRP were measured at enrollment and damage accrual at last visit. The association of hs-CRP with the SLAM-R and SDI was examined by univariable (Pearson’s correlation) and multivariable (linear regression) analyses. The association of hs-CRP and each individual domain of the SLAM-R and SDI was examined by Spearman’s correlation. Results hs-CRP was associated with the SLAM-R in the univariable (r = 0.35, p < 0.001) and multivariable (t = 7.11, coefficient β = 0.27, p < 0.001) analyses. It also correlated with the constitutional, eye, pulmonary, gastrointestinal, neuromotor, and laboratory domains of the SLAM-R. hs-CRP was associated with the SDI (r = 0.12, p = 0.004) in the univariable analysis but not in the multivariable analysis. When the individual domains of the SDI were analyzed, hs-CRP correlated with the renal, pulmonary, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, and diabetes domains. Conclusion hs-CRP was associated with disease activity but not with overall damage accrual; however, it correlated with specific domains of the damage index. hs-CRP may be useful to monitor the course of the disease and predict its intermediate outcome, but longitudinal studies with serial hs-CRPmeasurements are necessary to define its clinical value.