title: Immunological studies in childhood scleroderma.
abstract: The results of immunological studies on 13 children suffering from scleroderma are reported. Antinuclear antibodies with speckled pattern of fluorescence could be found in systemic sclerosis and in 3 patients with scleroderma en bandes. The same patients (except but one with PSS) demonstrated high levels of DNA antibodies. The 2 patients with PSS were found to have a very low percentage of T cells, whereas the percentage of B cells was increased. The results demonstrate the significance of autoimmunity not only in systemic sclerosis but also in focal scleroderma. Beyond this it can be presumed that immune deficiency (with a defect in cellular immunity) may be the predisposing cause of at least progressive systemic sclerosis.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000906:Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000032:analysis; D001402:B-Lymphocytes; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004247:DNA; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D008297:Male; D012594:Scleroderma, Localized / Q000276:immunology; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D004247:DNA