Expression of S100B protein levels in serum and cerebrospinal fluid with different forms of neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus.

The aim of this study is to determine S100B protein levels in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in patients with different forms of neruopsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE). There were 157 SLE patients (65 with and 92 without NPSLE, and 20 patients without rheumatic diseases served as controls) recruited in the present study. Serum and CSF S100B protein levels were measured by ELISA assay. Serum S100B protein levels in patients with NPSLE (0.179 +/- 0.095 microg/l) were significantly higher than the levels in patients without NPSLE (0.110 +/- 0.091 microg/l; p < 0.001) and in controls (0.103 +/- 0.065 microg/l; p = 0.005). Thus, the differences in serum levels between non-NPSLE patients and controls had no statistical significance. The serum and CSF S100B protein contents in patients with organic brain syndrome, seizures, cerebral vascular accident, and psychosis were significantly higher than those in controls (all p < 0.001). However, there was no significant difference in serum and CSF S100B protein levels among patients with headache, patients with neuropathy, and controls. In conclusion, serum and CSF S100B levels were raised in NPSLE, especially concerning patients with organic brain syndrome, seizures, cerebral vascular accident, and psychosis. The results obtained imply that S100B protein is possibly an available and complementary biochemical marker within evaluation of NPSLE and deserves further study.