A patient with a high titer of antinuclear antibody and a functioning adrenal tumour.
Reported is the case of a 60-year-old female who was referred to our rheumatology center because of a high titer of antinuclear antibodies (ANAs). Initially several lupus-like features suggested a diagnosis of undifferentiated connective tissue disease (UCTD). Immunofluorescence of the patient's serum showed a nuclear dot pattern. Counterimmunoelectrophoresis for antibodies to Sm, RNP, SS-A and SS-B were negative. Immunoblotting revealed a band at 53 kD which did not correspond to known autoantigens. Several months later the patient presented to the emergency room with symptoms due to a hypertensive crisis. Check-up finally revealed a cortisone-producing tumour of the right adrenal gland. The adenoma was removed by surgery and the patient did well again.
Zuber
M
M
German Research Center for Rheumatology, Berlin.
Miesel
R
R
Brandl
B
B
D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology*; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000032:analysis*; D003240:Connective Tissue Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007122:Immunoelectrophoresis; D008875:Middle Aged; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear