SERUM THROMBOMODULIN - A NOVEL MARKER OF DISEASE-ACTIVITY IN SYSTEMICLUPUS-ERYTHEMATOSUS

Objective. Soluble thrombomodulin (sTM), a proposed serum marker of en dothelial cell injury, was investigated as a parameter of disease acti vity in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Methods. Lev els of sTM were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Disea se activity was assessed using 3 established scoring systems: the Amer ican College of Rheumatology (ACR), the New York Hospital for Special Surgery (NYHSS), and the Systemic Lupus Activity Measure (SLAM) system s. Results. A close correlation was found between sTM levels and disea se activity as assessed with all 3 scoring systems: r = 0.52 by the AC R, 0.75 by the NYHSS, and 0.82 by the SLAM. Conclusion. We found that sTM is a sensitive serologic marker of organ involvement in patients w ith SLE. Furthermore, sTM may prove to be an important marker for vasc ulitis in general.