title: Marker antibodies in scleroderma and polymyositis: clinical associations.
abstract: Sera of 34 patients with progressive systemic sclerosis and of 11 patients with polymyositis/dermatomyositis (PM/DM) were analyzed by the immunoblotting technique for the presence of marker antibodies. The presence of anti-centromere, anti-Topoisomerase-I (anti-Topo-I) and anti-Jo-1 antibodies was found to be highly specific for the CREST syndrome, diffuse scleroderma and PM/DM, respectively, but only of limited sensitivity (78, 44 and 45%, respectively). Anti-Topo-I positive diffuse scleroderma patients had a more severe disease (digital pitting scars and renal insufficiency) than anti-Topo-I negative diffuse scleroderma patients. Anti-Jo-1 was associated with interstitial lung disease. Longitudinal studies showed a constant antibody pattern. Our results confirm the clinical usefulness of these marker antibodies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, St. Maartenskliniek, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: de Rooij
authors.forename: L B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Van de Putte
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Habets
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Van Venrooij
mesh_terms: D000918:Antibody Specificity; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D002503:Centromere / Q000276:immunology; D004264:DNA Topoisomerases, Type I / Q000276:immunology; D003882:Dermatomyositis / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D009220:Myositis / Q000276:immunology*; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology; D013577:Syndrome
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D004264:DNA Topoisomerases, Type I