Non-thyroidal disease syndrome in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: relation to disease inflammatory activity

To identify risk factors for the development of non-thyroidal illness syndrome (NTIS) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

A retrospective analysis of 517 SLE patients and 1034 age-and sex-matched healthy population was conducted to compare the prevalence of NTIS in these two groups, and to analyze the laboratory and clinical characteristics of SLE patients with NTIS. Finally Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the risk factors for NTIS in SLE patients.

The prevalence of NTIS in the SLE patients was significantly higher than that in controls (39.7% vs. 1.0%, P < 0.001). In SLE patients, compared with euthyroidism patients, NTIS patients exhibited higher levels of neutrophils, hepatic enzymes, kidney damage markers, inflammatory markers and SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI). They also had a higher incidence of organ insufficiency and positive antibodies such as anti-ds-DNA antibodies and anti-SSA antibodies. However, NTIS patients had lower levels of hemoglobin, lymphocytes, platelets, serum albumin, and complement. Additionally, NTIS patients had a shorter duration of lupus and lower utilization of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) (P < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that elevated SLEDAI (OR = 1.060, 95%CI 1.022–1.099, P = 0.002), elevated systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) (OR = 1.003, 95%CI 1.001–1.007, P = 0.026), elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) (OR = 1.019, 95%CI 1.010–1.028, P < 0.001), and hepatic insufficiency (OR = 1.916, 95% CI 1.173–3.131, P = 0.009) were independent risk factors for the development of NTIS in SLE. DMARDs treatment (OR = 0.495, 95% CI 0.306–0.799, P < 0.001) was an independent protective factor for NTIS.

Inflammatory activity in SLE patients is associated with the development of NTIS.