Abstract

Ferritin is an acute phase reactant which indicates serum ıron storage. Its serum levels increase 10 to 100 folds responding to inflammatory stimulation. In parallel to decreasing of active of disease, levels of ferritin decrease. To investigate the relationship between serum ferritin and disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), we enrolled 20 patients with SLE (16 female, 4 males and mean ages: 26.6  7.8 (14-45) years). The serum ferritin levels were detected in active period and remission period by treatment of disease in-patients with SLE. The serum ferritin levels were 1097.8  382.8 (345-1800) ng/ml and 214.5  71.1 (114-345) ng/ml in active period and remission period by treatment, respectively. The ferritin levels were low that were meaningful statistically, in active period of disease comparing with remission period. In management of patients with SLE, the measurements of serum ferritin levels should be made routinely, because of the test are easy, economic, safe and guide of management.