title: High levels of neutralizing autoantibodies against IL-1 alpha are associated with a better prognosis in chronic polyarthritis: a follow-up study.
abstract: Neutralizing autoantibodies to interleukin (IL)-1 alpha were detected in a subset of chronic polyarthritis patients characterized by an increased proportion of patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome or self-limiting inflammatory arthritis, diseases with a much better prognosis than rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The evolution of anti-IL-1 alpha antibody levels was followed over 3 years. Incidence and levels were higher in patients with a benign form of polyarthritis. In these patients levels remained stable or increased over the follow-up period. In contrast, incidence and levels were lower and some RA patients became negative. Negative correlations were observed between the levels of anti-IL-1 alpha antibodies and the clinical and biological indices of disease activity. The relative risk factor of developing RA was 12 in the absence of high anti-IL-1 alpha antibody levels and 18.2 when associated with the presence of HLA-DR4. In conclusion, the presence of anti-IL-1 alpha autoantibodies appears to be protective and their detection could represent a marker of good prognosis for destruction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Hôpital Edouard Herriot, Lyon, France.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jouvenne
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fossiez
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Banchereau
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Miossec
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001168:Arthritis / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011233:Precipitin Tests; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D007375:Interleukin-1