PRECIPITATING ANTIBODIES TO NUCLEAR ANTIGENS IN SYSTEMIC VASCULITIS

  • 1 January 1984
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 56  (3) , 601-606
Abstract
Sera from 61 patients with systemic vasculitis were examined for precipitating antibodies to components of saline tissue extracts. Precipitins were rare in patients with polyarteritis nodosa (PAN); their absence helped to distinguish PAN from vasculitis associated with other connective tissue diseses. Precipitins were detected in some patients with other vasculitides. Previously described preciptating antibodies (anti-Ro [SSA] and anti-La [SSB]) were restricted to a few patients with features of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). A different, as yet unidentified, precipitin which reacted with a component of rabbit thymus extract but not calf thymus or human spleen extracts was detected in many patients with rheumatoid disease. This precipitin was present in all patients with active rheumatoid vasculitis (RV) and 52% of patients with uncomplicated but active rheumatoid synovitis. Higher titers of precipitating antibody were present in patients with active RV than in those with inactive RV or uncomplicated rheumatoid synovitis; serial studies showed a good correlation between a fall in antibody titer and healing of vasculitis with treatment. This unidentified precipitin may be an important marker of RV.