INVESTIGATION OF THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN ANTINUCLEAR ANTIBODIES, ANTI-DOUBLE STRANDED DNA RESULTS AND PERIPHERAL BLOOD CELL INDICATORS IN PATIENTS WITH SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS

Abstract

Objectives: To describe the characteristics of antinuclear antibodies (ANA) and anti-double stranded DNA (anti-dsDNA) results in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and to evaluate the relationship between these results and peripheral blood cell indicators. Materials and Methods: A retrospective and cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 161 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of SLE who were monitored and treated at Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital, Hue city from January 2018 to May 2024. Results: The mean age of the study population was 31.16 ± 13.01 years. The prevalence of  SLE in females was 88.2% and was 7.5 times higher than in males. The rates of ANA and anti-dsDNA positivity in SLE patients were 61.5% and 36.6%, respectively. The study population with both positive ANA and anti-dsDNA test results accounted for 32.3%. There was a statistically significant relationship between ANA, anti-dsDNA results, and blood cell indicators including WBCs, neutrophils, lymphocytes, red blood cells, and hemoglobin (p<0.05). Additionally, ANA results showed a statistically significant relationship with platelet counts (p<0.01). Patients who tested positive for both ANA and anti-dsDNA had the lowest counts of WBCs, neutrophils, lymphocytes, RBCs, and hemoglobin compared to other counterparts, with a statistically significant difference (p<0.01). Conclusion: ANA and anti-dsDNA results are statistically significantly associated with peripheral blood cell indicators in patients. It is necessary to consider combining both ANA and anti-dsDNA results to evaluate and predict the disease activity of systemic lupus erythematosus.