Clinical characteristics and prognosis of concomitant systemic lupus erythematosus and primary biliary cholangitis

Determining the association between systematic lupus erythematosus and the occurrence of primary biliary cirrhosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Autoimmune diseases often coexist; however, the concomitant occurrence of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is rare. Therefore, this study aims to provide a comprehensive summary of evidence regarding the co-occurrence of SLE and PBC.

METHODS

PubMed, Web of Science, ScienceDirect , and Google Scholar databases were systematically and comprehensively searched for records published up to February 2024. Full-text articles that aligned with the study's aim were included, while those published in languages other than English and those designed as case reports, reviews, conference abstracts, or editorials were excluded. Statistical analyses were performed using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software, and methodological quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale.

RESULTS

Only 14 studies that met the inclusion criteria with 3944 PBC and 9414 SLE patients were included for review and analysis. Pooled data analysis revealed that approximately 1.1% of SLE patients have concomitant PBC (range: 0.02-7.5%), while around 2.7% of PBC patients concurrently have SLE (range: 1.3-7.5%). Furthermore, qualitative data analysis indicated that the prevalence of PBC in SLE patients presenting with hepatic dysfunction or abnormal liver enzymes ranges from 2 to 7.5%.

CONCLUSION

Although the concomitant occurrence of SLE and PBC is rare, the small proportion of patients where these diseases coexist warrants close monitoring by clinicians. This underscores the importance of surveillance to prevent their co-occurrence.

Causal associations between systemic lupus erythematosus and primary biliary cholangitis: A bidirectional Mendelian randomization study

Objectives

The association between systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) has been increasingly recognized. However, the existence of causal connections between SLE and PBC has yet to be established. In this study, we aimed to investigate the bidirectional causation between SLE and PBC utilizing Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.

Methods

We acquired summary data from Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) for SLE and PBC from the IEU Open GWAS and FinnGen database. The inverse variance weighted (IVW) was employed as the key method to ascertain the causality between SLE and PBC. Subsequently, a range of sensitivity analyses were applied. We also performed a fixed-effects model meta-analysis to combine the MR results from different databases. Moreover, multivariable MR were conducted to clarify the roles of potential confounding factors.

Results

Our univariable MR investigation provided compelling evidence supporting a causal relationship between SLE and PBC in both directions. Specifically, the IVW method demonstrated a strong casual effect of SLE on PBC (odds ratio (OR) = 1.17, 95 % confidence interval (CI) = 1.09-1.25, p < 0.001). In addition, the results of reverse MR analysis revealed that genetically predicted PBC was associated with an increased risk of SLE (OR = 1.39, 95 % CI = 1.32-1.45, p < 0.001). The sensitivity analyses indicated the absence of horizontal pleiotropy and heterogeneity. Furthermore, the causality between SLE and PBC remained significant even after adjusting for common risk factors in the multivariable MR analysis.

Conclusions

Our study provides statistical evidence of a potential causal relationship between SLE and PBC, but further research is needed to the explore of the underlying mechanisms of these disorders.

Causal association between systemic lupus erythematosus and primary biliary cholangitis: A bidirectional Mendelian randomization study

An association has been observed between systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) in observational studies, however, the exact causal link remains unclear. We aim to evaluate the causal relationships between SLE and PBC through bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR). Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were selected as instrumental variables from publicly accessible genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in European populations. The PBC and SLE GWAS data were obtained from the MRC IEU Open GWAS database, consisting of 24,510 and 14,267 samples, respectively. After a series of quality control and outlier removal, inverse variance weighted was used as the primary approach to evaluate the causal association between SLE and PBC. The horizontal pleiotropy and heterogeneity were examined by the MR-Egger intercept test and Cochran Q value, respectively. Seven SNPs were included to examine the causal effect of SLE on PBC. Genetically predicted SLE may increase the risk of PBC development, with an odds ratio (OR) of 1.324 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.220 ∼ 1.437, P ˂ .001). Twenty SNPs were included to explore the causal effect of PBC on SLE. Genetically predicted PBC may increase the risk of SLE development, with an OR of 1.414 (95% CI 1.323 ∼ 1.511, P ˂ .001). Horizontal pleiotropy and heterogeneity were absent (P > .05) among SNPs. The robustness of our results was further enhanced by using the leave-one-out method. Our research has provided new insights into SLE and PBC, indicating bidirectional causal associations between the 2 diseases. These findings offer valuable contributions to future clinical studies.

Investigating the causal relationship and potential shared diagnostic genes between primary biliary cholangitis and systemic lupus erythematosus using bidirectional Mendelian randomization and transcriptomic analyses

Background

The co-occurrence of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has been consistently reported in observational studies. Nevertheless, the underlying causal correlation between these two conditions still needs to be established.

Methods

We performed a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study to assess their causal association. Five MR analysis methods were utilized for causal inference, with inverse-variance weighted (IVW) selected as the primary method. The Mendelian Randomization Pleiotropy RESidual Sum and Outlier (MR-PRESSO) and the IVW Radial method were applied to exclude outlying SNPs. To assess the robustness of the MR results, five sensitivity analyses were carried out. Multivariable MR (MVMR) analysis was also employed to evaluate the effect of possible confounders. In addition, we integrated transcriptomic data from PBC and SLE, employing Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) to explore shared genes between the two diseases. Then, we used Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment methods to perform on the shared genes. The Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression algorithm was utilized to identify potential shared diagnostic genes. Finally, we verified the potential shared diagnostic genes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs)-specific cell populations of SLE patients by single-cell analysis.

Results

Our MR study provided evidence that PBC had a causal relationship with SLE (IVW, OR: 1.347, 95% CI: 1.276 - 1.422, P < 0.001) after removing outliers (MR-PRESSO, rs35464393, rs3771317; IVW Radial, rs11065987, rs12924729, rs3745516). Conversely, SLE also had a causal association with PBC (IVW, OR: 1.225, 95% CI: 1.141 - 1.315, P < 0.001) after outlier correction (MR-PRESSO, rs11065987, rs3763295, rs7774434; IVW Radial, rs2297067). Sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of the MR findings. MVMR analysis indicated that body mass index (BMI), smoking and drinking were not confounding factors. Moreover, bioinformatic analysis identified PARP9, ABCA1, CEACAM1, and DDX60L as promising diagnostic biomarkers for PBC and SLE. These four genes are highly expressed in CD14+ monocytes in PBMCs of SLE patients and potentially associated with innate immune responses and immune activation.

Conclusion

Our study confirmed the bidirectional causal relationship between PBC and SLE and identified PARP9, ABCA1, CEACAM1, and DDX60L genes as the most potentially shared diagnostic genes between the two diseases, providing insights for the exploration of the underlying mechanisms of these disorders.

Causal relationship between systemic lupus erythematosus and primary liver cirrhosis based on two-sample bidirectional Mendelian randomization and transcriptome overlap analysis

BACKGROUND

Overlapping cases of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) are rare and have not yet been fully proven to be accidental or have a common genetic basis.

METHODS

Two-sample bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was applied to explore the potential causal relationship between SLE and PBC. The heterogeneity and reliability of MR analysis were evaluated through Cochran's Q-test and sensitivity test, respectively. Next, transcriptome overlap analysis of SLE and PBC was performed using the Gene Expression Omnibus database to identify the potential mechanism of hub genes. Finally, based on MR analysis, the potential causal relationship between hub genes and SLE or PBC was validated again.

RESULTS

The MR analysis results indicated that SLE and PBC were both high-risk factors for the occurrence and development of the other party. On the one hand, MR analysis had heterogeneity, and on the other hand, it also had robustness. Nine hub genes were identified through transcriptome overlap analysis, and machine learning algorithms were used to verify their high recognition efficiency for SLE patients. Finally, based on MR analysis, it was verified that there was no potential causal relationship between the central gene SOCS3 and SLE, but it was a high-risk factor for the potential risk of PBC.

CONCLUSION

The two-sample bidirectional MR analysis revealed that SLE and PBC were high-risk factors for each other, indicating that they had similar genetic bases, which could to some extent overcome the limitation of insufficient overlap in case samples of SLE and PBC. The analysis of transcriptome overlapping hub genes provided a theoretical basis for the potential mechanisms and therapeutic targets of SLE with PBC overlapping cases.

Clinical analysis of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus complicated with liver failure

The objective of this study is to analyze and summarize the characteristics of the clinical data of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) complicated with liver failure, and to improve the cognition of the disease. The clinical data of patients with SLE complicated with liver failure hospitalized in Beijing Youan Hospital from January 2015 to December 2021 were collected retrospectively, including general information and laboratory examination data, and the clinical characteristics of the patients were summarized and analyzed. Twenty-one SLE patients with liver failure were analyzed. The diagnosis of liver involvement was earlier in 3 cases than that of SLE, and later in 2 cases. Eight patients were diagnosed with SLE and autoimmune hepatitis at the same time. The medical history is between 1 month and 30 years. This was the first case report of SLE complicated with liver failure. We found that: (1) among the 21 patients, organ cysts (liver and kidney cysts) were more common and the proportion of cholecystolithiasis and cholecystitis was higher than that in previous studies, but the proportion of renal function damage and joint involvement was lower. (2) The inflammatory reaction was more obvious in SLE patients with acute liver failure. The degree of liver function injury in SLE patients with autoimmune hepatitis was less than that in patients with other liver diseases. (3) The use of glucocorticoid in SLE patients with liver failure was worthy of further discussion. Key Points • Patients with SLE complicated with liver failure have a lower proportion of renal impairment and joint involvement. • The study firstly reported SLE patients with liver failure. • Glucocorticoids in the treatment of SLE patients with liver failure are worthy of further discussion.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in patients with systemic autoimmune diseases or vasculitis: radiologic presentation

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has transformed into a worldwide challenge, since its outbreak in December 2019. Generally, patients with underlying medical conditions are at a higher risk of complications and fatality of pneumonias. Whether patients with systemic autoimmune diseases or vasculitides, are at increased risk for serious complications associated with COVID-19, is not established yet. Computed tomography (CT) has been employed as a diagnostic tool in the evaluation of patients with clinical suspicion of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-Cov-2) infection with a reported sensitivity of higher than reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test. Multifocal bilateral ground-glass opacities (GGOs) with peripheral and posterior distribution and subsequent superimposition of consolidations are considered the main imaging features of the disease in chest CT. However, chest CT images of underlying rheumatologic or autoimmune diseases or vasculitides, such as systemic sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, Behçet disease, and granulomatosis with polyangiitis, especially those with extensive lung involvement can overshadow or obliterate features of COVID-19. In addition, CT findings of such diseases may resemble manifestations of COVID-19 (such as ground glass opacities with or without superimposed consolidation), making the diagnosis of viral infections, more challenging on imaging. Comparing the imaging findings with prior studies (if available) for any interval change is the most helpful approach. Otherwise, the diagnosis of COVID-19 in such patients must be cautiously made according to the clinical context and laboratory results, considering a very high clinical index of suspicion on imaging.