Clinical value of soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (SuPAR) as a biomarker of disease activity in Behcet’s disease

Abstract

Background: Behçet's disease (BD) is a chronic multisystemic vasculitic disease of unknown pathogenesis. Diagnosis and disease activity measurement has always been a challenge. Soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) is showing an increased utility as a promising diagnostic and prognostic inflammatory biomarker in different systemic inflammatory disorders. Objectives: To study the clinical value of plasma Soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) in patients with Behçet's disease, and if it can be used as a measure to disease activity. Methods: According to the International Criteria for Behcet's Disease (ICBD), fifty adult Behçet's disease patients were enrolled in the study, and forty healthy adult subjects were included in a case-control study. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to obtain quantitative data. Results: The suPAR level was not statistically different between the patients with BD patients and the controls. No correlation was found between suPAR levels and disease activity (BDFAC). Conclusion: Very few studies analyzed the clinical value of suPAR level in patients with BD and its correlation with disease activity. Our results show that suPAR does not seem to play a role in the disease mechanism of BD.