Platelet Survival and Platelet Production in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE)

In 16 patients (3 males and 13 females) with SLE platelet survival and platelet production were determined. At the time of study 3 patients received no therapy, 10 were treated with corticosteroids, and the remaining 3 received corticosteroids and azathioprin. The control group consists of 21 healthy male volunteers. In all experiments autologous platelets labelled with 51Cr were employed.The mean peripheral platelet count for the SLE patients was 222,000/μl, range 122,000-347,000/μl. In this group the mean for platelet mean life span (MLS) was 6.8±0,3 (S. E.), range 5.5-9.7 days, and did not differ from the mean for the controls (6.9±0.3 days). In the SLE group the mean platelet turnover was 49,000 ±8,000/μl/day. The corresponding value for the controls was 43,000 ± 3,000/μl/day. The values for platelet MLS and platelet turnover in SLE patients were not related to given therapy.Previously it has been suggested that a state of compensated thrombocytolysis is present i SLE. Our results could, however, not confirm this.

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Intrarenal Platelet Consumption in the Diffuse Proliferative Nephritis of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Clinical Science ◽

10.1042/cs0490247 ◽

1975 ◽

Vol 49 (3) ◽

pp. 247-252

Author(s):

W. F. Clark ◽

M. L. Lewis ◽

J. S. Cameron ◽

V. Parsons

Keyword(s):

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus ◽

Platelet Aggregation ◽

Lupus Nephritis ◽

Lupus Erythematosus ◽

Renal Involvement ◽

Systemic Lupus ◽

Thrombocytopenic Purpura ◽

Platelet Survival ◽

Proliferative Lupus Nephritis ◽

Immune Complex Formation

1. Platelet survival and an index of the localization of platelets in the kidney were studied in patients with the proliferative nephritis of systemic lupus erythematosus, either focal or diffuse, and in control subjects. Platelet survival was reduced in patients with proliferative lupus nephritis, more in those with diffuse rather than focal renal involvement. 2. The index of renal platelet localization in patients with diffuse proliferative nephritis suggested an intrarenal platelet consumption not found in other groups. 3. A patient with the classical platelet autoantibody disease, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, also showed reduced platelet survival but localization of platelets was in the spleen rather than the kidney. 4. Intrarenal platelet consumption in diffuse proliferative lupus nephritis may be an epiphenomenon of pre-existing scarring or platelet aggregation secondary to immune complex-formation, which contributes to the progressive sclerosing lesions of this form of nephritis.

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Organized Intraglomerular Deposits in NZB Mouse Disease

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100066772 ◽

1971 ◽

Vol 29 ◽

pp. 544-545

Author(s):

Francis R. Comerford ◽

Alan S. Cohen

Keyword(s):

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus ◽

Lupus Erythematosus ◽

Antinuclear Antibodies ◽

Human Systemic Lupus Erythematosus ◽

Systemic Lupus ◽

Glomerular Lesion ◽

Ultrastructural Studies ◽

Dense Deposits ◽

Experimental Nephritis ◽

Glomerular Lesions

Mice of the inbred NZB strain develop a spontaneous disease characterized by autoimmune hemolytic anemia, positive lupus erythematosus cell tests and antinuclear antibodies and nephritis. This disease is analogous to human systemic lupus erythematosus. In ultrastructural studies of the glomerular lesion in NZB mice, intraglomerular dense deposits in mesangial, subepithelial and subendothelial locations were described. In common with the findings in many examples of human and experimental nephritis, including many cases of human lupus nephritis, these deposits were amorphous or slightly granular in appearance with no definable substructure.We have recently observed structured deposits in the glomeruli of NZB mice. They were uncommon and were found in older animals with severe glomerular lesions by morphologic criteria. They were seen most commonly as extracellular elements in subendothelial and mesangial regions. The deposits ranged up to 3 microns in greatest dimension and were often adjacent to deposits of lipid-like round particles of 30 to 250 millimicrons in diameter and with amorphous dense deposits.

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