Anti-centrosome antibodies: Prevalence and disease association in Chinese population

Serum antinuclear antibodies associate with severe disease activity in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder

BACKGROUND

Studies suggest that antinuclear antibodies (ANAs) may correlate with the long-term prognosis of Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD). In this study, we investigated ANAs in Chinese patients with NMOSD and their relationship with disease outcomes.

METHODS

We retrospectively collected data from 525 patients diagnosed with NMOSD at West China Hospital between September 1, 2009, and October 1, 2021. Patients were classified into two groups: NMOSD with ANA (+) or without ANA (-). We compared the clinical characteristics, relapse rate, severe attacks, laboratory tests, Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), and prognosis between the two groups.

RESULTS

Among the 525 NMOSD patients, those with ANA showed a higher frequency of AQP4-IgG (94.1% vs 79.3%, p < 0.001, false discovery rate (FDR) corrected p < 0.001), and anti-SSA (p < 0.001, FDR corrected p < 0.001), anti-SSB (p < 0.001, FDR corrected p < 0.001), anti-Ro52 antibodies (p < 0.001, FDR corrected p < 0.001), than those without ANA. ANA was detected in 403 patients during the acute phase. Patients with ANA (+) had higher EDSS scores in the acute stage (4.0 vs. 3.75, p = 0.013, FDR corrected p = 0.029) and at final follow-up (p = 0.032, FDR corrected p = 0.064). NMOSD patients with ANA (+) had a higher frequency of severe acute myelitis attack, severe acute myelitis and optic neuritis attack, motor and visual disability, compared to those with ANA (-) (42.1% vs. 27.8%, p = 0.001, FDR corrected p = 0.004, 19.3% vs. 10.3%, p = 0.004, FDR corrected p = 0.018, and 11.1% vs. 4.8%, p = 0.008, FDR corrected p = 0.022 respectively). The two groups had no significant difference in the annual recurrence rate (ARR).

CONCLUSION

ANA may be associated with more severe disease activity and disability in NMOSD.

The clinical value of indirect immunofluorescence for screening anti-rods and rings antibodies: A retrospective study of two centers in China

Objective

To investigate the distribution and clinical significance of the rods and rings (RR) pattern in various diseases.

Methods

A total of 169,891 patients in Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH) and 29,458 patients in Inner Mongolia People’s Hospital (IMPH) from January 2018 to December 2020 were included, and the results of ANA (antinuclear antibodies) and special antibodies were analyzed retrospectively.

Results

The positive rates of ANA and RR patterns were 34.84%, 0.16% in PUMCH, and 44.73%, 0.23% in IMPH. Anti-RR antibodies mainly appear in adults (≥ 41 years), mostly of low or medium fluorescence titers. Isolated RR patterns were mostly presented (60.30% and 69.12%, respectively), and the RR pattern mixed with the speckled pattern was most commonly observed among patients having two or more patterns. The RR pattern existed in a variety of diseases including hepatitis C, AIDs, pulmonary diseases, nephropathy diseases, and even healthy people. The highest prevalence of the RR pattern was observed in hepatic diseases, such as hepatic dysfunction (0.79%), hepatic cirrhosis (1.05%), PBC (0.85%), and AIH (0.65%), etc. The positive rate of specific antibodies in RR pattern cases was 31.25%, and anti-Ro52 (27, 20.61%) was the most common target antibody.

Conclusion

The RR pattern had a low prevalence in ANAs test samples and varied in different nationalities and regions. Except for hepatitis C, it could be observed in AIDs, pulmonary diseases, nephropathy, other hepatic diseases, and even healthy people, but the positive rate was slightly higher in hepatic diseases. Its mechanism of action and clinical relevance still need clarification.

Dense fine speckled immunofluorescence pattern in a Chinese population: Prevalence and clinical association

OBJECTIVE

To provide information on the prevalence and possible clinical association in a Chinese population for medical practice of the dense fine speckled pattern (DFS pattern).

METHODS

A retrospective study was conducted with patients who had the DFS pattern from June 2018 to December 2019 in West China Hospital.

RESULTS

A total of 469 patients (1.27% of patients with positive anti-nuclear antibody indirect immunofluorescence (ANA IIF) test results) revealed the DFS pattern, of which 92.96% had isolated DFS pattern and 23.67% had titers above/equal to 1:320. The average age of patients with the DFS pattern was 43.45 years, and females accounted for 76.97% of them. Ten different kinds of diseases made up the vast majority of the disease spectrum, in which inflammatory or infectious diseases (46.11%), mental diseases (21.45%), and systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARDs) (18.23%) ranked in the top three. The most common SARDs were rheumatoid arthritis (RA), undifferentiated connective tissue disease (UCTD), and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Forty-six patients (10.55%) had positive or suspicious extractable nuclear antigen (ENA) antibodies test results and a higher risk of suffering from SARDs. Forty-seven patients would be missed if the DFS pattern with negative ENA antibodies test result was considered as exclusion criterion of SARDs.

CONCLUSIONS

The DFS pattern is basically isolated and with low titer. It is unwise to exclude the diagnosis of SARDs only depending on the appearance of the DFS pattern. Autoimmune diseases-related antibodies, clinical information of patients, and long-term follow-up are of great importance to avoid missed or delayed diagnosis of SARDs.

Assessment of the Characteristics and Associated Factors of Infectious Complications in Bullous Pemphigoid

Objectives: The clinical outcome of bullous pemphigoid appears worse in patients with infectious complications, and assessment of the prevalence and risk factors of infectious complications could be necessary to plan preventative strategies and to instruct the treatment plans. We sought to determine the risk factors of infection and compare associated factors in inpatients and outpatients with different system infections. Design: This is a single-centered retrospective study on the medical records of 252 patients from 2010 to 2018 at the dermatology department, Peking Union Medical College. Medical profiles of medical history, diagnosis, infectious complications, and treatment plans were analyzed. The associated factors were compared between the subgroups, including inpatients and outpatients, different body sites of infection. Results: Of the total 252 patients with bullous pemphigoid (BP), 81 patients (81/252, 32.1%) had infectious complications. Forty-eight patients died from pulmonary infections (11/48, 22.9%), cardiovascular diseases (6/48, 12.5%), and other diseases. Infections were most frequently found in skin/mucosa (44/252, 17.5%), respiratory system (32/252, 12.7%), and blood (10/252, 4.0%). On multivariate analysis, risk factors of infections in BP were maximal control dose of corticosteroids (OR 2.539, 95% CI 1.456-4.430, p = 0.001), low serum albumin level (OR 2.557, 95% CI 1.283, 5.092, p = 0.007), hospitalization (OR 4.025, 95% CI 2.289, 7.079, p < 0.001), comorbidities including respiratory disease (OR 4.060, 95% CI, 1.861, 8.858, p < 0.001), eye disease (OR 4.431, 95% CI 1.864, 10.532, p < 0.001), and diabetes (OR 2.667, 95% CI 1.437, 4.949, p = 0.002). The rate of infection was significantly higher in inpatients compared to that in outpatients (54.0 vs. 20.6%, p < 0.001), with diverse risk factors. Mucocutaneous infections were associated with a maximal control dose of corticosteroid and other dermatoses. Respiratory infections were related to respiratory disease and old age, and hematologic infection was associated with low serum hemoglobin levels and mucosal involvement of BP. Both of them were associated with mucosal involvement of BP and high titer anti-BP180 antibody. Conclusions: Infectious complications of bullous pemphigoid are common and are associated with mucosal involvement of BP, more comorbidities, the higher dose of corticosteroids, and the lower level of serum albumin.