Objective: The objective of the submitted investigation was to follow up serum levels of adhesion molecules VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and to evaluate their relationship with parameters of clinical activity of the disease. Methods: The investigation was made in a group of 52 patients with SLE, the activity of the disease was evaluated by the scoring system ECLAM (European Consensus Lupus Activity Measurement). Levels of the C3 and C4 constituents of complement were assessed nephelometrically, the other investigated indicators, i.e. serum levels of VCAM-1, ICAM-1, anti-dsDNA antibodies, antinucleosomal antibodies, thrombomo- dulin, neopterin, sIL-2R, IL-10 and Fas ligand were assessed by the ELISA method using a commer- cial kit. For statistical evaluation a regression analysis was used with Pearson’s correlation coeffi- cient and the ANOVA test. Results: Statistical analysis revealed a correlation between sVCAM-1 levels and the index of clinical ECLAM activity (r = 0.54, p = 0.0003). Soluble VCAM-1 correlated significantly with thrombomodulin levels (r = 0.67, p = 0.00001), neopterin (0.48, p = 0.003) and sIL-2R (r = 0.33, p = 0.01). A mutual correlation of serum levels of both adhesion molecules was also found (r = 0.46, p = 0.0005). The level of sICAM-1 correlated with the index of ECLAM activity (r = 0.33, p = 0.01), with levels of sIL2R (r = 0.64, p = 0.00003) and neopterin (r = 0.47, p = 0.004). In all sub-groups of patients (A – stable activity, B – increasing activity, C – declining activity and LN – lupus nephritis) a significant decline of serum VCAM-1 level was recorded between the first and third series of measurements /A (p = 0.01), B (p = 0.006), C (p = 0.003 and LN (p = 0.006)/. There was no significant fluctuation of levels of the sICAM-1 molecule between different series of measurements and between the sub-groups of patients. Conclusion: The soluble form of VCAM-1 is probably the most suitable indicator of SLE activity from the group of adhesion molecules and it may therefore be included among other indicators of SLE activity.

        Key words: systemic lupus erythematosus, sVCAM-1, sICAM-1, activity index, cytokines, Fas ligand