title: Antinuclear antibody studies in juvenile chronic arthritis.
abstract: This study of children with chronic arthritis confirms that patients at greatest risk for chronic iridocyclitis have a young age of onset and positive antinuclear antibodies (ANA). Children who are ANA negative have a low risk of iridocyclitis. When it occurs it is at a significantly older age. No child developing juvenile chronic arthritis over 9, even with positive ANA, had chronic iritis. There was remarkable variation in ANA titres; these correlated with erythrocyte sedimentation rate, active arthritis, and iridocyclitis. Maximum ANA titres were often seen very early in the disease but at this time were usually not associated with a poor prognosis. Histocompatibility antigens A2 and DRw8 were significantly increased, suggesting primary associations in pauciarticular arthritis with ANA. HLA-DR5 was associated with mild forms of arthritis and with absence of, or only mild, iritis. HLA-B15/w62 was associated with severe forms of eye involvement.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000032:analysis*; D001171:Arthritis, Juvenile / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007500:Iritis / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D006680:HLA Antigens; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II