title: [Keratoconjunctivitis sicca in rheumatoid arthritis: correlation with the autoantibody pattern].
abstract: In order to evaluate the autoantibody pattern of subjects affected by rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with clinical features of keratoconjunctivitis, we studied 32 out- and in-patients (26 women, 6 men, average age 52 years, average disease duration 5.5 years) at the Division of Rheumatology, Catholic University of Rome. We found keratoconjunctivitis sicca and xerostomia in 22 (68.75%) patients with RA. Rheumatoid factor was present in 17 (53.1%) patients, antinuclear antibodies (ANA) were observed in 15 (48.4%) patients, and anti-rheumatoid arthritis nuclear antigens (RANA) in 22 (68.7%) patients; anti-SSA antibodies were confirmed in 3 (9.4%) patients and anti-SSB antibodies in 2 (6.2%) patients. None of the patients evidenced anti-U1RNP. Although keratoconjunctivitis sicca and xerostomia correlated significantly with the presence of rheumatoid factor, we found no relationship between these two conditions and ANA or anti-RANA antibodies. The high frequency of keratoconjunctivitis sicca and xerostomia in our RA patients is the expression of extra-articular involvement in this disease and is correlated with the presence of rheumatoid factor. ANA and anti-RANA antibodies may represent aspecific polyclonal activation in RA.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Medicina Interna e Geriatria, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore di Roma.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Altomonte
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zoli
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Galossi
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mirone
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Scuderi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Magarò
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000032:analysis; D034961:Antigens, Nuclear; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007638:Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor / Q000032:analysis; D014987:Xerostomia / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D034961:Antigens, Nuclear; D001323:Autoantibodies; D001324:Autoantigens; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor