title: Antibodies to intermediate filaments in polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis: a sequential study.
abstract: Serum specimens from 35 patients with polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis (PMR/GCA) were obtained sequentially at variable time intervals up to a year from onset of disease. These were tested for antibodies to intermediate filaments by indirect immunofluorescence using HEp2 cells as substrate. Twenty four of 35 (68%) patients' sera at onset of disease were positive at an anti-intermediate filament antibody (AIFA) titre of greater than 1/40 compared with three outs of 19 (15%) control sera. AIFA were predominantly of IgM class, and there was no significant change in AIFA titres on follow up despite clinical remission of disease.
mesh_terms: D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D013700:Giant Cell Arteritis / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D007633:Keratins / Q000276:immunology; D011111:Polymyalgia Rheumatica / Q000276:immunology*; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000276:immunology; D014746:Vimentin / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins; D011498:Protein Precursors; D014746:Vimentin; C004818:prekeratin; D007633:Keratins