Unraveling The Link Between Lymphopenia And Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Implications For Disease Severity And Potential Treatment Strategies

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease characterized by chronic inflammation that can potentially impact any body part. Lymphopenia, abnormal low lymphocyte numbers, are frequently observed in individuals with active SLE. This short review examines the correlation between lymphopenia and SLE. Databases of Scopus, PubMed, Elsevier, Wiley, and Google Scholar were searched for related publicationS. The results showed that lymphopenia is correlated with disease severity in SLE patients. The underlying mechanism is unclear, but it may be due to increased apoptosis of lymphocytes and the autoantibodies production that target lymphocyte surface receptors. Various therapies, including immunosuppressive, corticosteroids, and antiangiogenic agents, have been used for SLE management. However, their efficacy is varied in SLE patients with lymphopenia. These therapies may improve lymphocyte counts and disease vigorousity. Lymphopenia has been found to be linked with several factors in SLE patients, including lupus nephritis, higher steroid doses, cyclophosphamide uses and complement depletion. In SLE, abnormal angiogenesis has been linked to the disease pathogenesis. Thus, angiogenesis therapy for SLE selectively targeted the process of abnormal blood vessel growth that is associated with SLE. In summary, lymphopenia may serve as an indicator of disease severity, however, further studies are required to explore the efficacy of targeted and non-targeted therapies in managing SLE patients with lymphopenia.