No abstract

39 I testing showed a very high degree of concordance, 28.7, 20.4, and 19.5, respectively. The results obtained by the HAM correlated poorly with the other three tests (Figure 2); any correlation of HAM with any other method was substantially poorer than the three correlations described above.We did this study to compare common clinically used tests, in routine daily use, with the simple inexpensive CL test. The findings indicate that the CL method, the FA, and the MFM gave comparable results. Although the CL method appears less sensitive than the MFM and the FA, it seems likely that different populations of antibodies are being measured by the latter methods, particularly antibodies to determinants associated with single-stranded DNA. The HAM, as here employed, correlated poorly with the other techniques and probably is too unreliable for clinical purposes.This study supports the suitability of the CL method for the routine clinical detection of antibodies to double stranded DNA.Our indebtedness to Dr. James Knoke for helpful discussions is acknowledged. WILLIAM CROWE IRVING KUSHNER Giant Cell Arteritis in a Black PersonTo the Editor: To date, giant cell arteritis has been reported only to whites (1,2). A literatures search has failed to show any cases reported in blacks. We wish to report a case of giant cell arteritis in a black person.A 70-year-old black woman, born in Jamaica, West Indies, was admitted to Kings County Hospital because of sudden pain and blurring of vision in the left eye of one day duration. Two months before admission she developed throbbing headaches. Initially the headaches were intermittent and localized to the right side of the head. Later they became constant and diffuse and were partially relieved by aspirin. One month prior to admission, tender, hard lumps developed over the right temporal area, and she had severe pain on mastication. Blurred vision and ptosis occurred the day before admission. Relevant history included hypertension for 18 years, which had been treated with diuretics and several other medications, and nasal obstruction with sinusitis which responded to norepinephrine for 6 years. Family history revealed that the patient's sister had systemic lupus erythematosus.