Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus in childhood.
OBJECTIVE
Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) have been found in up to 25% of adults with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and in 69% of affected children. We investigated ANCA and antibodies to myeloperoxidase (MPO) in 50 children with SLE.


METHODS
ANCA in serum were measured by indirect immunofluorescence and antibodies to MPO by ELISA.


RESULTS
ANCA were found in 8 (7 perinuclear ANCA, 1 cytoplasmic ANCA) of the 50 sera tested (16%). All the 8 ANCA positive patients were also positive for anti-MPO antibodies. No association with vasculitis or specific organ involvement was observed.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results in children are roughly similar to those reported for adults.
Faure-Fontenla
M A
MA
Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez and Departamento de Inmunología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, DF México.
Rodríguez-Suárez
R S
RS
Arias-Velásquez
R
R
García-González
J E
JE
D000328:Adult; D019268:Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic / Q000032:analysis*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000276:immunology*; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000276:immunology
D019268:Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic; D001323:Autoantibodies; D009195:Peroxidase