title: Clinical significance of anti-Ro antibodies in rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: The objective of our study was to determine the frequency of anti-Ro antibodies in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), their clinical significance and possible serologic and genetic associations. Consecutive patients with RA (ACR '87) were studied. Other connective tissues diseases were excluded. Demographic characteristics, extra articular manifestations, and treatment were reviewed. Presence of leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, hypergammaglobulinemia, hypocomplementemia, and cryoglobulinemia were consigned. Rheumatoid factor (RF), antinuclear antibodies (ANAs), anti-Ro, and anti-La were determined by ELISA in all patients; and HLA-DR was determined by PCR and oligotyping. X-rays of the hands and feet were evaluated by Larsen's score. The study included 106 patients, 94 women and 12 men; mean age was 50.3 +/- 11.4 years, mean disease duration was 11.2 +/- 6.8 years. Main extra articular manifestations were subcutaneous nodules, xerophthalmia, and xerostomia; 75.5% of the patients were RF+. Anti-Ro antibodies were detected in 12.2% of the patients. When positive and negative anti-Ro patients were compared, no significant difference in any studied variable was observed. According to our results, anti-Ro antibodies lack clinical relevance in patients with RA.
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology, Instituto de Rehabilitación Psicofísica, Echeverria 955, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Emilce
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schneeberger
authors.forename: Gustavo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Citera
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heredia
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Maldonado Cocco
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / Q000097:blood*; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000097:blood*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; C035356:SS-A antibodies