IMMUNE DEPOSITS IN DERMO-EPIDERMAL JUNCTION IN RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS

  • 1 January 1977
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 6  (1) , 57-61
Abstract
Skin biopsies from 40 patients with rheumatoid arthritis were studied for presence of immune deposits in the dermo-epidermal junction zone. In about half of these unselected patients with classical and definite rheumatoid arthritis, IgM [immunoglobulin-M], complement components and fibrinogen antigenic material were found. A positive correlation is demonstrated between immune deposits and apparently presence of cryoglobulins in serum. Presence of complement components in skin deposits was clearly related to the disease''s clinical activity as judged by Lansbury''s index.