Anti-Smith Antibodies Associated with Increased Risk of the Development of Lupus Nephritis, but Not a Stand-alone Predictive Biomarker

Identifying biomarkers for lupus nephritis (LN, lupus-related kidney disease) is challenging due to heterogeneity of the disease and its impact on different kidney regions, leading to varying clinical outcomes. A new study looked to understand the role anti-Smith antibodies play in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and the development of LN. The study revealed that while anti-Smith antibodies are involved in the pathogenesis of LN and can be used to predict disease activity, theses antibodies are not a predictive biomarker by itself. 

Researchers conducted a systematic literature review of 17 studies of patients with and without SLE and LN between the ages of 18-75. Data from 2019 to 2024 were used to evaluate the role of anti-Smith antibodies as a predictive biomarker for the development of LN in people with SLE. The findings of the study found anti-Smith antibodies are involved in the development of lupus nephritis (LN) in adults and can indicate disease activity, but they are not reliable as predictive biomarkers. Further research is needed to confirm their role in LN, potentially involving long-term monitoring in larger and more diverse patient groups with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) to better understand the clinical significance of these autoantibodies. Learn more about lupus nephritis.

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