Thrombomodulin in systemic lupus erythematosus: association with clinical and laboratory parameters

Thrombomodulin is an endothelial cell membrane glycoprotein and is detected in plasma and serum after endothelial injury. In our study comprising 311 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) clinical and laboratory as sociations of elevated thrombomodulin serum concentrations were examined. E levated thrombomodulin concentrations were detected in 7.1% of the SLE pati ents and were associated with nephritis including the laboratory parameters proteinuria and erythrocyte casts, vasculitis and neurological involvement of the central nervous system. These correlations remained significant aft er consideration of the influence of renal function. In SLE, the serum thro mbomodulin concentration may become a marker to monitor damage of endotheli al cells and involvement of the central nervous system.