Antinuclear antibodies measured by enzyme immunoassay in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: relation to disease activity

Abstract

To evaluate the correlation between measurements of antinuclear antibodies serum levels by enzyme immunoassay (ANA-EIA), and the degree of systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity. To retest the performance of the test compared to measurement of antinuclear antibodies by immunofluorescence (ANA-IIF). Eighty-five sera from 71 patients with SLE were tested. Demographic, clinical, laboratory, and SLEDAI status were collected. The sera were tested for ANA-EIA and by ANA-IIF at 1:40 and 1:160 dilutions. Serum levels of ANA-EIA were compared to the overall SLEDAI score and to each of its components. A SLEDAI score of > or =6 was considered clinically significant. The sera of fifty-one healthy volunteers served as controls. Serum levels of ANA-EIA were significantly higher in patients with a SLEDAI score of > or =6 compared to the group of patients with a SLEDAI score of <6 (P = 0.004). High serum levels of ANA-EIA correlated significantly with elevated anti DS-DNA antibodies (P < 0.001), low C(3) or C(4) levels (P < 0.001), pyuria (P < 0.011), arthritis (P = 0.019), and new rash (P = 0.019). Levels of ANA-EIA were significantly higher in patients tested positive by IIF compared to those who tested negative. Higher serum levels of ANA-EIA correlated with clinically significant disease activity in patients with SLE. Higher serum levels of ANA-EIA also correlated with some single items of the SLEDAI. The results also reiterated the validity of ANA-EIA testing in patients with SLE. Further longitudinal studies are needed in order to test the hypothesis that serum ANA-EIA levels might reflect fluctuations in disease activity.

Antinuclear antibodies: A marker associated with steroid dependence in patients with ulcerative colitis

“…21,22 There is evidence that some antibodies correlate with activity in autoimmune diseases. This association has been found between ANAs and SLE, 23 and between p-ANCA and UC. 7 We studied the association of ANAs with the activity of UC measured by the Mayo score and no positive correlation was found.…”

Performance of Antinuclear Antibodies for Classifying Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Systematic Literature Review and Meta‐Regression of Diagnostic Data

“…The 64 eligible studies comprised 66 cohorts with a total of 13,080 SLE patients, of whom 12,542 (95.9%) were reported to be IIF‐ANA positive at various titers (range 76% to 100% calculated sensitivity, see Table ). A total of 7,539 subjects were included as a control population.…”

Ginsenoside Rh1 Improves the Effect of Dexamethasone on Autoantibodies Production and Lymphoproliferation in MRL/lpr Mice

“…The presence of ANA, found in 95% of SLE patients, is also a prevalent feature of SLE that plays a pivotal role in the disease pathogenesis [ 29 ]. The level of ANA is positively correlated with anti-dsDNA [ 30 , 31 ]. As expected, Dex-treated MRL/lpr mice showed a remarkable decrease in anti-dsDNA and anti-ANA autoantibodies.…”