Introduction: CRP rarely increases during systemic lupus exacerbations.
Materials and methods: This retrospective study of patients with systemic lupus diagnosed according to ACR criteria examined all patients with no intercurrent infectious disease and responding to corticosteroid treatment and compared the patients with normal and with significantly elevated (> or = 30 mg/l) CRP.
Results: 23 black patients (22 women, 1 man) were selected and classified in two groups: group I with CRP > 30 mg/l (n = 12) and the controls, group II, with normal CRP (n =11). In group I, mean CRP was 279 mg/l. Four patients had isolated pericarditis, and one pericarditis associated with pleurisy. Nine patients had no cardiovascular risk factors or abnormal liver function enzymes. Antinuclear antibodies were specific for anti-DNA (n= 8), anti-Sm (n = 2), anti-RNP (n = 1), and anti-SSA (n = 1). In group II, seven patients had pericarditis, and nine had no cardiovascular risk factors or liver function results. Antinuclear antibodies were specific for anti-DNA (n = 9), anti-Sm (n = 1) and unknown (n = 1).
Discussion: The paucity of data about black Africans in the literature makes it difficult to interpret these results in terms of their specificity for this population or as a typical profile of elevated CRP without infectious disease.
Conclusion: In absence of a specific profile for patients with elevated CRP without intercurrent infectious disease, we consider the possibility of a subgroup of the black population that may be particularly vulnerable and express CRP more easily.