ACR Meeting Abstracts

ACR Meeting Abstracts

  • Meetings
    • ACR Convergence 2024
    • ACR Convergence 2023
    • 2023 ACR/ARP PRSYM
    • ACR Convergence 2022
    • ACR Convergence 2021
    • ACR Convergence 2020
    • 2020 ACR/ARP PRSYM
    • 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting
    • 2018-2009 Meetings
    • Download Abstracts
  • Keyword Index
  • Advanced Search
  • Your Favorites
    • Favorites
    • Login
    • View and print all favorites
    • Clear all your favorites
  • ACR Meetings

Abstract Number: 2831

Associations of BAFF and Anti-BAFF Autoantibodies with Disease Activity in Oriental Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Hwee-Siew Howe1, Bernard Thong2, Kok Ooi Kong3, Hiok-Hee Chng2, Tsui Yee Lian2, Faith Chia2, Karine Tay2, Tang Ching Lau4, Weng Giap Law2, Ee Tzun Koh5 and Bernard Pui Lam Leung6,7, 1Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore, SINGAPORE, Singapore, 2Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, ., Singapore, 3Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore, Singapore, 4Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine,, National University of Singapore, ., Singapore, 5Department of Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, ., Singapore, 6Physiology, National University of Singapore, ., Singapore, 7Rheumatology, Allergy & Immunology, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, ., Singapore

Meeting: 2016 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting

Date of first publication: September 28, 2016

Keywords: BAFF, Disease Activity, SLE and autoantibodies

  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print
Session Information

Date: Tuesday, November 15, 2016

Title: Systemic Lupus Erythematosus – Clinical Aspects and Treatment - Poster III: Biomarkers and Nephritis

Session Type: ACR Poster Session C

Session Time: 9:00AM-11:00AM

Background/Purpose: B cell activating factor (BAFF) is implicated in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). A previous small scale study reported that endogenous neutralizing serum anti-BAFF autoantibodies were found in higher levels in SLE patients compared to healthy subjects, and were associated with increased SLE disease severity. We sought to evaluate levels of BAFF and endogenous autoantibodies to BAFF in our oriental SLE cohort, and to determine their correlation with disease activity.

Methods: Serum BAFF and anti-BAFF IgG antibody levels were first assayed in 38 SLE patients and 24 healthy controls by ELISA. Correlation of serum BAFF and anti-BAFF IgG levels with disease activity scored by SLAM-R was determined in a larger cohort of 121 patients. The 121 SLE patients were predominantly female (85.9%), mean age 38.7±12.4 years, mean disease duration 102±89 months; and comprised 80.9 %( 98) Chinese, 11.6 %( 14) Malay, and 7.4% (9) Indian and other ethnicity; mean SLAM-R score and SDI of 2.8±2.2 and 0.6±0.97 respectively . SLE disease manifestations at the time of sample assay included mucocutaneous in 7(5.8%), fatigue in 4(3.3%), active urine sediment in 33(27.3%), hypocomplementemia in 88(72.7%), and raised anti-dsDNA antibody titres in 80(66.1%). The majority were on corticosteroids (72.7%) and hydroxychloroquine (67.8%). Immunosuppressive drugs included azathioprine in 35.5%, mycophenolate in 5.8%, and intravenous pulse cyclophosphamide in 3.3%.. SLE patients all fulfilled 1997 revised ACR classification criteria.

Results: Serum BAFF was elevated in SLE patients compared to controls; mean 1615pg/ml and 338pg/ml, respectively (p<0.01)(Fig 1A); and correlated with anti-dsDNA antibody levels (r=0.363, p=0.025)(Fig 1B), and SLAM-R scores(r=0.615, p<0.01; n=121)(Fig 1C). Significantly higher levels of anti-BAFF IgG were found in over 80% of SLE patients (N/200-3200 serial dilution)(Fig 2A), which correlated negatively with SLAM-R (r=-0.4161, p<0.01; n=121)(Fig 2C), and levels of antidsDNA (r=-0.335, p=0.039)(Fig 2B) and BAFF(r=-0.459, p=<0.01).

Conclusion: Elevated levels of anti-BAFF autoantibodies were found in over 80% of our oriental SLE patients in negative correlation with clinical disease activity, antidsDNA and BAFF levels. Our findings provide further information about the complexity of BAFF pathophysiology in different SLE disease populations and phenotypes, and may have implications in the selection of patients for the development and utilisation of anti-cytokine therapies.


Disclosure: H. S. Howe, None; B. Thong, None; K. O. Kong, None; H. H. Chng, None; T. Y. Lian, None; F. Chia, None; K. Tay, None; T. C. Lau, None; W. G. Law, None; E. T. Koh, None; B. P. L. Leung, None.

To cite this abstract in AMA style:

Howe HS, Thong B, Kong KO, Chng HH, Lian TY, Chia F, Tay K, Lau TC, Law WG, Koh ET, Leung BPL. Associations of BAFF and Anti-BAFF Autoantibodies with Disease Activity in Oriental Systemic Lupus Erythematosus [abstract]. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2016; 68 (suppl 10). https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/associations-of-baff-and-anti-baff-autoantibodies-with-disease-activity-in-oriental-systemic-lupus-erythematosus/. Accessed .
  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print

« Back to 2016 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting

ACR Meeting Abstracts - https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/associations-of-baff-and-anti-baff-autoantibodies-with-disease-activity-in-oriental-systemic-lupus-erythematosus/

Advanced Search

Your Favorites

You can save and print a list of your favorite abstracts during your browser session by clicking the “Favorite” button at the bottom of any abstract. View your favorites »

All abstracts accepted to ACR Convergence are under media embargo once the ACR has notified presenters of their abstract’s acceptance. They may be presented at other meetings or published as manuscripts after this time but should not be discussed in non-scholarly venues or outlets. The following embargo policies are strictly enforced by the ACR.

Accepted abstracts are made available to the public online in advance of the meeting and are published in a special online supplement of our scientific journal, Arthritis & Rheumatology. Information contained in those abstracts may not be released until the abstracts appear online. In an exception to the media embargo, academic institutions, private organizations, and companies with products whose value may be influenced by information contained in an abstract may issue a press release to coincide with the availability of an ACR abstract on the ACR website. However, the ACR continues to require that information that goes beyond that contained in the abstract (e.g., discussion of the abstract done as part of editorial news coverage) is under media embargo until 10:00 AM ET on November 14, 2024. Journalists with access to embargoed information cannot release articles or editorial news coverage before this time. Editorial news coverage is considered original articles/videos developed by employed journalists to report facts, commentary, and subject matter expert quotes in a narrative form using a variety of sources (e.g., research, announcements, press releases, events, etc.).

Violation of this policy may result in the abstract being withdrawn from the meeting and other measures deemed appropriate. Authors are responsible for notifying colleagues, institutions, communications firms, and all other stakeholders related to the development or promotion of the abstract about this policy. If you have questions about the ACR abstract embargo policy, please contact ACR abstracts staff at [email protected].

Wiley

  • Online Journal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Permissions Policies
  • Cookie Preferences

© Copyright 2025 American College of Rheumatology