X F Zeng

Publications (7)22.11 Total impact

• Article: Anti-erythropoietin receptor antibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus patients with anemia.

  X-Y Luo, M-H Yang, P Peng, L-J Wu, Q-S Liu, L Chen, Z Tang, N-T Liu, X-F Zeng, Y Liu, G-H Yuan
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  ABSTRACT: Anemia is a common hematologic abnormality in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). An inadequate erythropoietin (EPO) response in SLE patients with anemia has been described that may be due to the presence of antibodies to EPO in SLE patients. However, whether anemia in patients with SLE is related to antibodies to EPO receptor (EPOR) has not yet been investigated. We enlisted 169 consecutive patients with SLE and 45 normal individuals to investigate the existence and importance of circulating autoantibodies to EPOR in sera from patients with SLE. In all patients with SLE, the disease activity was evaluated by using the SLE disease activity index SLEDAI. Anti-EPOR antibodies were detected by using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A higher frequency of anti-EPOR antibodies was observed in SLE patients than in healthy controls (18.3% vs 2.2%, p = 0.007). Moreover, anti-EPOR antibodies were detected in 22 of 69 (31.9%) SLE patients with anemia and in only nine of 100 (9.0%, p < 0.001) in those without. Furthermore, the patients with anti-EPOR antibodies exhibited more severe anemia and often presented as microcytic anemia (p = 0.001). Finally, anti-EPOR antibodies seemed more likely to occur in patients with rash (p = 0.008), lower levels of C(3) component (p = 0.01), higher titer of anti-dsDNA antibodies (p < 0.001) and higher disease activity scores (p = 0.024). The results of this study suggest that anti-EPOR antibodies might play a vital role in SLE patients developing anemia because of the higher incidence of antibodies to EPOR found in SLE patients with anemia. Thus, there might be clinical value in detecting anti-EPOR antibodies in SLE patients with anemia. Therefore, the pathologic role of the antibodies in inducing anemia needs to be established in future studies.
  Lupus 10/2012; · 2.34 Impact Factor
• Article: The prevalence and clinical characteristics of systemic lupus erythematosus with infectious brain lesions in China.

  Y Xu, D Xu, T Zhang, X-M Leng, F-C Zhang, X-F Zeng
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  ABSTRACT: Objective: Infectious brain lesions (IBLs) are life-threatening in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of IBL in SLE patients and the clinical characteristics of SLE patients with IBL. Methods: Medical charts of 15 consecutive SLE patients with IBL admitted to Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH) from January 1995 to October 2010 were reviewed systematically. A total of 150 cases were randomly selected as controls from 4115 SLE inpatients without IBL in PUMCH during the same period. Results: The prevalence of IBL in SLE patients was 0.4%. Significant differences were observed between SLE patients with and without IBL in the following manifestations (p < 0.05): arthritis/musculoskeletal involvement (66.7% vs. 32.0%), C-reactive protein (CRP) elevation (84.6% vs. 28.0%), anti-dsDNA antibody positivity (13.3% vs. 42.9%), and elevated SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) score (> 5) (13.3% vs. 71.3%). Fever was the most common manifestation (80%), followed by headache and focal neurological signs (73.3%). Twelve patients presented with infections in other sites, including pulmonary infection (66.7%) and meningitis (40.0%). Enhanced cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed point-enhancing or ring-enhancing lesions in all patients evaluated (12/12, 100%). Mycobacterium tuberculosis was the most common pathogen (10 cases, 66.7%). After administration of antibiotics targeting the pathogens, 11 patients (73.3%) recovered. Conclusions: IBL is not common in SLE patients. In stable SLE patients with fever, focal neurological signs, and CRP elevation, IBL should be suspected. Enhanced cranial MRI and a thorough check-up should be performed in a timely manner. It is very important to identify the pathogens and initiate treatment as early as possible.
  Scandinavian journal of rheumatology 07/2012; · 2.51 Impact Factor
• Article: Association of chemokine CXCL12-3'G801A polymorphism with systemic lupus erythematosus in a Han Chinese population.

  F-X Wu, X-Y Luo, L-J Wu, M-H Yang, L Long, N-T Liu, B Zhou, X-F Zeng, C-de Yang, G-H Yuan
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  ABSTRACT: CXCL12, also known as stromal cell-derived factor (SDF-1), is a CXC chemokine. Recent reports have shown that CXCL12 might play key roles in a murine model of lupus and in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). A common variant at position 801 in 3'-untranslated region in CXCL12 gene (designated CXCL12-3'G801A) has been reported in association with autoimmune diseases, such as type 1 diabetes and systemic sclerosis. We investigated the influence of CXCL12-3'G801A polymorphism on susceptibility to SLE by genotyping this single nucleotide polymorphism in 422 SLE patients and 374 healthy controls. The frequency of G/G homozygote was observed in 60.0% of SLE patients and in 52.7% of healthy individuals (χ(2 )= 4.275, p = 0.039). Compared with patients with G/A and A/A genotype, SLE patients with G/G genotype were also more prone to developing photosensitivity (χ(2 )= 6.778, p = 0.034), renal damage (χ(2 )= 6.388, p = 0.041) and to producing antibodies against nucleosomes (χ(2 )= 8.341, p = 0.015). Moreover, the plasma level of CXCL12α was also significantly increased in patients with G/G homozygote than in healthy controls carrying the same genotype [(4067.0 ± 1092.3) pg/ml vs. (3278.5 ± 547.4) pg/ml, p = 0.002]. Our results suggest that polymorphism in CXCL12-3'G801A might be a genetic risk factor for developing SLE. The association of G/G homozygote with nephritis and skin damage developed in SLE patients might be due to its effects upon the production of auto-antibodies and CXCL12 protein.
  Lupus 02/2012; 21(6):604-10. · 2.34 Impact Factor
• Article: Vitamin D receptor gene BsmI polymorphism B allele, but not BB genotype, is associated with systemic lupus erythematosus in a Han Chinese population.

  X-Y Luo, M-H Yang, F-X Wu, L-J Wu, L Chen, Z Tang, N-T Liu, X-F Zeng, J-L Guan, G-H Yuan
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  ABSTRACT: The vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene is a candidate gene for susceptibility to autoimmune disorders. Association studies of VDR polymorphisms and risk of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have often produced conflicting results in different ethnic backgrounds. The aim of this study is to test the association between VDR gene BsmI polymorphism and the genetic susceptibility to SLE in a Han Chinese population. Three hundred and thirty-seven patients with SLE and 239 healthy controls were genotyped for the VDR gene BsmI polymorphism (rs1544410) by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis in this study, after which the relationship between BsmI polymorphisms and the mRNA expression of VDR, as well as clinical manifestations in patients with SLE, was evaluated. It was found that the frequency of B allele was significantly increased in SLE relative to the control group (χ(2) = 4.681, p = 0.031), although the distribution of VDR BsmI polymorphism genotype frequencies did not differ significantly between patients and controls (χ(2) = 4.098, p = 0.129). Moreover, VDR B allele was found to be associated with lupus nephritis (p = 0.027) and also with production of anti-nucleosome antibodies (p = 0.037). The mRNA of VDR was markedly down-regulated in patients with VDR B allele compared with that in patients without B allele (p = 0.016). Our results indicate a possible role of genetic factors (the VDR B allele) in influencing disease susceptibility in Han Chinese patients. Also, VDR B allele is associated with the development of nephritis and the down-regulation of VDR mRNA expression in SLE.
  Lupus 01/2012; 21(1):53-9. · 2.34 Impact Factor
• Article: Refractory severe connective tissue disease thrombocytopenia: is rituximab treatment effective and safe?

  W J Zheng, X Zhang, Q Wang, D Xu, X F Zeng, F C Zhang
  Annals of the rheumatic diseases 07/2009; 68(6):1077-8. · 8.11 Impact Factor
• Article: Clinical features and outcome of neuropsychiatric lupus in Chinese: analysis of 240 hospitalized patients.

  H Q Zhou, F C Zhang, X P Tian, X M Leng, J J Lu, Y Zhao, F L Tang, X Zhang, X F Zeng, Z L Zhang, W Zhang, Y Dong
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  ABSTRACT: Neuropsychiatric (NP) events are severe manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and relate to poor outcome. The aims of this study are to investigate the NP manifestations of SLE and to identify the predictive factors for clinical outcome. There was a retrospective review of 240 hospital patients with primary NP events of SLE (NPSLE) from 1990 to 2004. Neuropsychiatric manifestations, SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI) score, System lupus International Collaborating Clinic/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index (SLICC/ACR-DI) score, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings, treatment and mortality rate were included for analysis. From this group of patients, 15 NP syndromes were identified. The most frequent manifestation was headache, followed by seizure. The mean SLEDAI and SLICC/ACR-DI scores were 19.9 +/- 6.9 and 3.5 +/- 1.6, respectively. Abnormal MRI features were found in 67% (61/91) patients. At least one intrathecal (IT) injection of methotrexate (MTX) plus dexamethasone (DXM) was administered to 109 (45.4%) patients. High dose (1 g) intravenous methylprednisolone pulse therapy (IVMP) was administered to 167 (69.5%) patients. Multifactor analysis revealed that high SLICC/ACR-DI scores and sets of concurrent NP symptoms were independently associated with poor outcome, whereas pulse IVMP and IT injection of MTX plus DXM were protective factors against poor outcome. From our data, NPSLE is heterogeneous and is usually associated with high disease activity and organ damage scores. High SLICC/ACR-DI score and having more than two sets of NP symptoms are the predictors for poor outcome, whereas pulse IVMP and IT injection of MTX plus DXM can improve the prognosis.
  Lupus 02/2008; 17(2):93-9. · 2.34 Impact Factor
• Article: Clinical analysis of nervous system involvement in ANCA-associated systemic vasculitides.

  W Zhang, G Zhou, Q Shi, X Zhang, X-F Zeng, F-C Zhang
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  ABSTRACT: To assess the clinical features of nervous system (NS) involvement in patients with ANCA-associated vasculitides (AAV), including microscopic polyangiitis (MPA), Wegener's granulomatosis (WG), and Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS). One hundred and seventy-nine patients admitted to Peking Union Medical College Hospital from 1995 to 2008, including 93 cases of MPA, 61 cases of WG, and 25 cases of CSS, were enrolled in this study. Medical charts including demographic data, clinical features, laboratory findings, treatments and outcomes were systematically reviewed. NS involvements were observed in 36.6% of MPA, 50.8% of WG, and 76.0% of CSS patients. Peripheral neuropathy predominated in each type of AAV. In CSS and MPA, the majority was mononeuritis multiplex and distal symmetrical polyneuropathy, whereas, differently, 64.5% of WG patients with NS involvement had cranial neuropathy. Central nervous system (CNS) involvement accounted for 21.1%, 29.4%, and 32.3% of neuropathy respectively in CSS, MPA and WG patients, including arachnoid hemorrhage, cerebrovascular neuro-pathy, meningitis, and diffuse brain damage. 157 (87.7%) AAV patients responded to treatment with high dose of prednisone plus immunosuppressants. Thirteen (14.0%) MPA and four (6.6%) WG patients died. The leading causes of death were diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DAH) (6, 35.3%) and infection (6, 35.3%). No patient died directly of neuropathy. NS involvement was common in AAVs and the characteristic of NS involvement was different among MPA, WG and CSS patients. DAH and infection instead of NS damage remained the leading causes of death in AAVs.
  Clinical and experimental rheumatology 27(1 Suppl 52):S65-9. · 2.15 Impact Factor