title: Microheterogeneity of acute phase proteins in the differentiation of polymyalgia rheumatica from polymyositis.
abstract: We studied an alpha-1-acid glycoprotein (AGP) and an alpha-1-antichymotrypsin (ACHT) microheterogeneity in sera of patients with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR), giant cell arteritis (GCA/PMR), polymyositis/dermatomyositis (PM/DM) and healthy individuals by affinity electrophoresis with concanavalin A (Con-A) as the ligand. Our results are expressed as reactivity coefficients. The mean of AGP reactivity coefficients (AG-RC +/- SD) in PMR (0.92 +/- 0.17) and GCA/PMR (0.91 +/- 0.12) were significantly lower compared with the mean AG-RC in patients with PM/DM (1.48 +/- 0.52) as well as in healthy individuals (1.34 +/- 0.9). Moreover, an additional microheterogeneous form of AGP was noted in patients with PM/DM. In parallel, we also found that the mean of ACHT reactivity coefficients (AC-RC +/- SD) were lower in patients with PMR (2.94 +/- 1.24) and GCA/PMR (1.66 +/- 0.16) compared with healthy individuals (3.92 +/- 1.17). The mean of AC-RC in patients with PM/DM (6.74 +/- 4.35) was significantly higher than in patients with PMR and GCA/PMR as well as in healthy individuals. Our results show that the changes in reactivity of AGP and ACHT with Con-A are useful diagnostic markers for the differentiation of PMR and GCA/PMR from PM/DM.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology and Rheumatology, K. Marcinkowski University School of Medicine, Poznan, Poland.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pawlowski
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aeschlimann
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Kahn
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vaith
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Mackiewicz
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Mueller
mesh_terms: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003208:Concanavalin A; D003882:Dermatomyositis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004586:Electrophoresis / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D013700:Giant Cell Arteritis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009220:Myositis / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D009961:Orosomucoid / Q000378:metabolism; D011111:Polymyalgia Rheumatica / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D000514:alpha 1-Antichymotrypsin / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; D009961:Orosomucoid; D000514:alpha 1-Antichymotrypsin; D003208:Concanavalin A; D002097:C-Reactive Protein