title: [Frequencies of autoantibodies specific for primary biliary cirrhosis in a general adult population group].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the frequencies of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC)-specific autoantibodies, including antimitochondrial autoantibodies (AMA) M2, anti-gp210 and anti-Sp100, and to assess their point prevalence rates in a general adult population group in Guangzhou.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eight thousand one hundred twenty-six adults (mean age 43.5+/-14.6 years, range 18 to 83 years; 4248 males and 3878 females) were enrolled for this study. AMA and anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA) were screened by indirect immunofluorescence test and AMA-M2, anti-gp210 and anti-sp100 were further detected using ELISA or immunoblotting assay. PBC diagnosis was made according to criteria recommended by AASLD in 2000.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 8126 adults tested, 35 (0.43%) and 79 (0.97%) were found to be positive for AMA and ANA. The positivity for both of AMA and ANA increased with aging. Twenty-two cases were positive for PBC-specific autoantibodies. Frequencies for AMA-M2, anti-sp100 and anti-gp210 in the general adult population were 0.23%, 0.05% and 0.04% respectively and their frequency reached 0.62% in women over 40 years. A woman among the 22 cases who was PBC-specific autoantibody positive was finally diagnosed as a PBC patient.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data indicates that PBC specific autoantibodies exist in the general adult population at very low frequencies and the point prevalence rate of PBC in adults in Guangzhou is not less than that of other areas.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Laboratory, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou 510120, China. xiangliuhaiying@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: Hai-Ying
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Lu-Xia
authors.initials: LX
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yun-Feng
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008105:Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies