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Objective　To assess the correlation between neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio （NLR） and the disease activity of systemic lupus erythematosus （SLE）. Methods　A total of 536 patients with SLE from the Department of Rheumatology and Immunology of the First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University were selected. According to the SLE Disease Activity Index （SLEDAI） score，patients with SLE were divided into inactive group，lightly active group，moderately active group，and severely active group. The differences in NLR among the four groups were compared，and the correlation between NLR and SLEDAI score was analyzed through Spearman correlation analysis. Results　There were differences in NLR levels among the four groups. The results of pairwise comparison showed that the NLR level of the moderately active group was higher than that of the inactive group （adjusted P < 0.001）；the NLR level of the severely active group was higher than that of the inactive group （adjusted P < 0.001）；the NLR level of the severely active group was higher than that of the lightly active group （ P = 0.011 after adjustment）. The NLR of SLE patients were positively correlated with SLEDAI scores （ P < 0.05. Conclusion　NLR can be used as a reference index to evaluate the disease activity of SLE patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To investigate the current situation in Chinese rheumatologic physicians' clinical diagnosis and evaluation of Takayasu's arteritis (TA). Methods Nineteen rheumatology experts and three vascular surgery specialists in China were invited to make the nationwide investigation for the first time about the diagnosis and disease activity evaluation of TA in China, through the questionnaire survey on the internet. Weighted average was used to calculate the average scores of corresponding problems. Results Chinese experts mainly adopted 1990 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) classification criteria for clinical diagnosis of TA.In details,symptoms of age, limb claudication and amaurosis, signs including pulselessness or pulse weakening, vascular bruits, increasing bilateral pulse pressure and hypertension and acute phase reactants (APR) were critical to the clinical diagnosis of TA. Besides, noninvasive imaging examinations, such as computed tomography angiography (CTA), magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), vascular ultrasonography, and positron emission tomography (PET) were also of great importance. In the aspect of disease activity assessment, Chinese experts mainly used Kerr scoring tool. APR and noninvasive radiological examinations were considered with vital value. Some TA patients with carotid artery involvement were recommended using vascular ultrasonography, while others with pulmonary artery and thoracic/abdominal aorta trunk involvement were preferred CTA other than MRA. Conclusions APR and noninvasive imaging examinations were thought with great help to make clinical diagnosis and evaluation of TA for Chinese physicians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]