OBJECTIVE To analyze the changes of endogenous metabolites in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) after pulse therapy with glucocorticoids.METHODS Endogenous metabolites in serum and urine of SLE patients before and after pulse therapy with glucocorticoids and healthy subjects were detected by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry,and the differences between the two groups were analyzed by multivariate statistical technique and MANOVA.RESULTS Obvious clustering was observed between serum or urine of SLE patients before and after pulse therapy with glucocorticoids,and both can be clearly distinguished from healthy controls. The metabolites with abnormal levels corrected by glucocorticoids included serum methionine,glutamate,2-keto-3-methylvalerate,2-ketoisocaproate,and urinary urea,3,4-dihydroxybutyrate,etc. While the side effects of glucocorticoids were reflected by abnormal levels of serum lysine,maltose,lactate,1-monopalmitin,and urinary threonine,citrate,and so on. CONCLUSION In this paper,the change characteristics of endogenous metabolites related to treatment and side effects of glucocorticoids is evalutated comprehensively. These results laid the foundation for rational use of glucocorticoids.