Serum levels of soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (sTREM-1) and pentraxin 3 (PTX3) as markers of infection in febrile patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Serum sTREM-1 levels were significantly higher in the infection group than in the flare group of febrile SLE patients. Our findings suggest that serum sTREM-1 levels could be used to determine whether SLE patients have contracted an infection.