8-Isoprostaglandin F2 alpha: a potential index of lipid peroxidation in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Background: Lipid peroxidation is a central feature of oxidant injury that leads to the vascular disease associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). In the past, lipid peroxidation has been difficult to measure. Because isoprostanes are thought to have particular relevance in vascular disease, we set out to measure, in vivo, serum concentrations of 8-isoprostaglandin F2 alpha (8-iso-PGF2alpha) as a marker of oxidative stress to evaluate the occurrence and ascertain the significance of lipid peroxidation in SLE.