Antibodies to Ro/SSA detected by ELISA: correlation with clinical features in systemic scleroderma.
Anti-Ro/SSA antibodies were determined by a newly developed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in serum specimens from 114 patients with systemic scleroderma in order to examine the relationship between Ro/SSA antibodies and clinical subsets of scleroderma. Sera of 42 patients (37%) were positive for Ro/SSA antibodies. Clinical investigations, including Schirmer's test and enzymatic profiles, demonstrated that 60% (16 of 27) of scleroderma patients with sicca syndrome and 63% (10 of 16) with polymyositis (PM) were Ro/SSA positive. In these patients there was a significant association between Ro/SSA antibodies and rheumatoid factor. HLA-antigens DR2, DR3 and B8 showed an increased frequency in anti-Ro/SSA positive patients.
Bell
S
S
Department of Dermatology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, F.R.G.
Krieg
T
T
Meurer
M
M
D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000032:analysis*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000276:immunology*
D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D001323:Autoantibodies; D006680:HLA Antigens; C035356:SS-A antibodies