Correlation between serum levels of soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor and disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus

Abstract

An increase in serum levels of sTNFR may become a useful marker for SLE activity since it shows a stronger correlation than do any other laboratory or clinical parameters employed presently in the daily clinical setting. At the concentrations attained in the serum of SLE patients, sTNFR effectively inhibit the bioactivity of TNF and may thus be a significant determinant of the intensity of the manifestations of SLE.