Anti-Ro(SSA) antibodies in patients with rheumatoid arthritis--a possible marker for gold induced side effects.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether anti-Ro antibodies are associated with gold induced side effects.


METHODS
A retrospective chart review of 208 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and examination of sera for the presence of anti-Ro antibodies by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay.


RESULTS
Anti-Ro antibodies were detected in 44 (21%) of our patients with RA and their presence correlated with positive rheumatoid factor, antinuclear antibody, and secondary Sjögren's syndrome. Thirty-three out of 48 patients with gold induced side effects (69%) were anti-Ro positive in contrast to 11 patients (7.5%) with positive antibodies with no side effects (p < 0.001). Mucocutaneous reactions had the only significant correlation (p < 0.01) with the presence of anti-Ro antibodies.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with RA with anti-Ro antibodies are prone to develop mucocutaneous side effects to gold salts.
Tishler
M
M
Department of Rheumatology, Elias Sourasky Medical Center, Ichilov Hospital, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Golbrut
B
B
Shoenfeld
Y
Y
Yaron
M
M
D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000032:analysis*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology*; D015415:Biomarkers; D005260:Female; D006046:Gold / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D015415:Biomarkers; C035356:SS-A antibodies; D006046:Gold