ANTI-GLOBULINS AND CIRCULATING COMPLEXES IN EARLY RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS

  • 1 January 1983
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 54  (3) , 723-730
Abstract
The importance of immunological parameters such as anti-globulins, anti-RANA [antibodies directed against Epstein-Barr virus-induced nuclear antigen] and circulating immune complexes in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) was studied by examining patients with early disease who are attending general practitioner clinics with joint pains for the 1st time. Anti-RANA, and IgG and IgM anti-globulins were detectable in the serum at the earliest time the patients were examined. The anti-globulins had specificity for both rabbit and human IgG from the outset. Immune complexes were similarly raised in early disease. From these patients with early joint pains it was possible to predict, by multivariant discriminant analysis of the laboratory data obtained from the 1st serum sample, between those who would develop into patients with classical or definite RA at 1 yr and those who would have non-inflammatory joint disease.