Abstract: Objectives To investigate the serum levels of IL-13 and n erve growth factor (NGF) and their clinical significance in patients with system ic lupus erythematosus (SLE).Methods The serum levels of IL-13 and NGF were measured by ELISA in 35 SLE patients and 15 normal controls.Results The serum levels of IL-13 and NGF in patients with active SLE were both significantly high er than those in patients with inactive SLE (IL-13: 92.69±9.87 pg/mL versus 54.22±9.31 pg/mL, P<0.01; NGF: 339.69±25.60 pg/mL versus 300.89±33.51 pg/mL, P<0.01).The serum levels of IL-13 and NGF in patients with inactive SL E were also significantly higher than those in normal controls (IL-13: 54.22±9.31 pg/mL versus 35.20±12.70 pg/mL, P<0.05; NGF: 300.89±33.51 pg/mL ver sus 111.40±32.54 pg/mL, P<0.01).The serum levels of IL-13 and NGF were correlated with the disease activity index of SLE, ESR and the serum level of C3 (IL-13: r=0.813, 0.504,-0.605, respectively; NGF: r=0.442, 0.338,-0.463, respectively).There was also a positive correlation between the serum levels of IL-13 and NGF (r=0.506, P<0.01).Conclusion These results indicate that IL-13 and NGF may be involved in the pathogenesis of SLE and obviously correlated with the disease activity.

Key words: Lupus erythematosus,systemic, Interleukin-13, Nerve growth factor