title: Assessment of anti-endothelial cell antibodies in systemic sclerosis and Sjögren's syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Anti-endothelial cell antibodies (AECA) have been detected in 19 to 30% of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). The objective of this study was first to assess the role of a secondary Sjögren's syndrome (SS) in the occurrence of AECA in SSc. Secondly, we researched AECA in patients with primary SS, and investigated whether AECA were associated with vascular manifestations (Raynaud's phenomenon and vasculitis).
  
  
  METHODS
  IgG-AECA were tested by an ELISA method in serum samples from 50 patients with SSc (16 of them had also a secondary SS), 50 patients with primary SS, and 50 healthy controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  AECA levels were significantly higher in patients with SSc or primary SS than in healthy controls (p < 0.01 and p < 0.01, respectively). In patients with SSc, AECA values were significantly higher in patients with secondary SS (p < 10(-5)). In patients with primary SS, AECA levels were significantly higher in patients with Raynaud's phenomenon (p < 0.01), but not in patients with vasculitis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients with SSc, AECA are associated with a secondary SS. In patients with primary SS, AECA are associated with Raynaud's phenomenon, but not with vasculitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine (CHRU), Lille, France.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hebbar
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lassalle
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Delneste
authors.forename: P Y
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Hatron
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Devulder
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Tonnel
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Janin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011928:Raynaud Disease / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D014657:Vasculitis / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D015415:Biomarkers; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; C087589:anti-endothelial cell antibody