Erythema chronicum migrans and Lyme arthritis: cryoimmunoglobulins and clinical activity of skin and joints.
We report the presence of serum cryoimmunoglobulins in patients with attacks of a newly described epidemic arthritis--Lyme arthritis--and in some patients with a characteristic skin lesion--erythema chronicum migrans--that sometimes precedes the onset of the arthritis. Seven patients who had cryoimmunoglobulins at the time of the skin lesion have developed arthritis; four patients without them have not. The cryoglobulins in patients with the skin lesion consisted primarily of immunoglobulin M (IgM); those in patients with arthritis often included both IgM and IgG. These findings support the hypothesis that a common origin exists for the skin and joint lesions and suggest that circulating immune complexes may have a pathogenetic role in Lyme arthritis.
D000328:Adult; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D001170:Arthritis, Infectious / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D003237:Connecticut; D003450:Cryoglobulins / Q000032:analysis*; D004890:Erythema / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis
D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D003450:Cryoglobulins; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M