Association between dietary and metabolic factors and IgM antibodies to phosphorylcholine and malondialdehyde in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and population-based matched controls.

OBJECTIVES: Immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies against phosphorylcholine (anti-PC) and malondialdehyde (anti-MDA) are implicated in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) as markers with potential protective properties. Low IgM anti-PC levels are more common in SLE than in control population. Little is known what influences the levels of these antibodies. We here studied associations between dietary and metabolic factors and levels of IgM anti-PC and anti-MDA.

METHODS: This study included 109 SLE patients and 106 controls from SLE Vascular Investigation Cohort (SLEVIC). Data on dietary intake (food frequency questionnaires) and metabolic factors were linked with IgM anti-PC and anti-MDA (determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). Associations between the dietary, metabolic factors and antibodies were analysed with logistic regression. Antibody levels ≤1st tertile were defined as low level.

RESULTS: Low IgM anti-PC and anti-MDA were associated with SLE (odds ratio (OR)=2.5 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.4-4.4] and OR=1.7 [95% CI 1.0-3.1, respectively). Among SLE patients, overweight/obesity (body mass index >25), elevated high-density lipoprotein (>1.6 mmol/L) and dietary fibre intake (>25.9 g/day) were associated with low IgM anti-PC (OR=2.29 [95% CI 1.06-4.97], OR=2.36 [95% CI 1.01-5.53] and OR=1.24 [95% CI 1.24-6.15], respectively). Further, dietary intake of total fat (>64.0 g/day), specifically saturated fat (>27.1 g/day), was associated with low IgM anti-MDA level (OR=2.55 [95% CI 1.14-5.64] and OR=2.47 [95% CI 1.11-5.51], respectively). Micronutrients were not associated with measured antibodies.

CONCLUSIONS: Some dietary and metabolic factors were associated with IgM anti-PC and anti-MDA, though it is not clear whether the associations also represent causation.