Cardiopulmonary manifestations of progressive systemic sclerosis: associations with circulating immune complexes and fluorescent antinuclear antibodies.
Sixteen patients with progressive systemic sclerosis were evaluated for cardiopulmonary manifestations of their disease and for serologic immune abnormalities. Twenty-five percent of patients had abnormal echocardiograms, and 81% had a significant reduction in pulmonary function by spirometry. Circulating immune complexes (IC) were detected in 44% of patients by using a fluorescent Raji cell assay, and these patients were more likely to have an abnormal echocardiogram (P less than 0.02). Seventy-five percent of the patients had fluorescent antinuclear antibodies (FANA) and these patients were more likely to have pulmonary disease (P less than 0.01).
D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000032:analysis; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D004452:Echocardiography; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006321:Heart / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008450:Maximal Midexpiratory Flow Rate; D008875:Middle Aged; D012119:Respiration; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013147:Spirometry; D014797:Vital Capacity
D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex