title: Circulating immune complexes in polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis.
abstract: Sera from patients with giant cell arteritis and/or polymyalgia rheumatica have been found to contain increased levels of circulating immune complexes (IC). Results with the polyethyleneglycol precipitation complement consumption (PEG-CC) assay have been correlated with disease activity. 44% of samples from an active untreated group (21 patients) had increased levels of ICs compared with 23% from an inactive treated group (49 patients). Further analysis of circulating ICs was performed by 125I-Clq binding, the PEG-C4 test, and 125I-conglutinin binding assays. Although we did not find a high correlation between IC levels and disease activity, isolation and analysis of the ICs may lead to further understanding of this disorder.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex / Q000032:analysis*; D003168:Complement Fixation Tests; D013700:Giant Cell Arteritis / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D011111:Polymyalgia Rheumatica / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex