Relationship between circulating anti-Ro/SS-A antibody levels and skin disease activity in subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus

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Abstract
Anti-Ro/SS-A antibody levels in 80 serum specimens from 12 patients with subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus (SCLE) were determined by immunodiffusion and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in order to examine the changes in this autoantibody response with time and to study the relationship between levels of this antibody and SCLE skin disease activity. Anti-Ro/SS-A antibody levels were found to vary considerably over time in a given patient when measured by both assays. Several patients who did not have any detectable levels of this antibody at the time of their initial examination were found to be antibody positive at follow-up examinations. However, no significant relationship was found between antibody levels in either assay and SCLE skin disease activity. While not ruling out a pathogenetic role for this antibody in the elicitation of SCLE skin lesions, these results would suggest that other factors are likely to be involved.