Objectives: To identify potential lipid biomarkers by studying changes in the blood lipid profile of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) using lipidomics.
Methods: Serum samples were collected from 115 SLE patients and 115 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs). Lipid profiles were assessed using ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled with Q Exactive spectrometry, and possible lipid biomarkers were screened and evaluated by univariate and multivariate analyses.
Results: Metabolic phenotypes related to SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI) scores were detected in the serum of SLE patients, and these phenotypes indicated the activity of the disease. Alterations in energy metabolism, fatty acid metabolism and other pathways were observed in patients with SLE. Phosphatidylethanolamine (16:0/18:2), lysophosphatidylethanolamine (18:0), and acylcarnitine (11:0) can be used as biomarkers for the clinical diagnosis of SLE, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis indicated their effectiveness in diagnosing this disease.
Conclusions: Our study identified serum biomarkers related to disease activity in patients with SLE, providing a basis for its clinical diagnosis.