title: Complement-fixing adrenal autoantibodies as a marker for predicting onset of idiopathic Addison's disease.
abstract: In a prospective investigation of the role of adrenal autoantibodies (AA) in predicting the onset of idiopathic Addison's disease, 9 initially non-addisonian AA-positive autoimmune subjects were followed for 42 months. In 4 of these subjects Addison's disease developed within 1-31 months. A fifth had reduced adrenocortical reserve at the start and at the end of the investigation. An AA capable of fixing the membrane attack complex of complement [(C5-C9) F-AA] was detected before onset of the disease in the sera of the 4 patients in whom Addison's disease developed. (C5-C9) F-AA may be involved in the pathogenesis of idiopathic Addison's disease and may be regarded as a marker for individuals in whom idiopathic adrenal insufficiency is likely to develop.
mesh_terms: D000224:Addison Disease / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000302:Adrenal Cortex / Q000276:immunology*; D000328:Adult; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D003182:Complement C5 / Q000032:analysis; D003183:Complement C6 / Q000032:analysis; D003184:Complement C7 / Q000032:analysis; D003185:Complement C8 / Q000032:analysis; D003186:Complement C9 / Q000032:analysis; D003168:Complement Fixation Tests; D003165:Complement System Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009928:Organ Specificity; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D003182:Complement C5; D003183:Complement C6; D003184:Complement C7; D003185:Complement C8; D003186:Complement C9; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D003165:Complement System Proteins