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Fijałkowska A, Schwartz RA, Woźniacka A. Dense fine speckled nuclear immunofluorescence: A mildly reassuring antinuclear antibody pattern meriting consideration. Immun Inflamm Dis 2023; 11:e1026. [PMID: 37773695 PMCID: PMC10521372 DOI: 10.1002/iid3.1026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Antinuclear antibodies (ANAs) are regarded as a hallmark of connective tissue diseases (CTDs) and play a key role in their diagnosis, but the value of some particular antibodies in management of patients and the disease prognosis is controversial. The mechanism underlying the production of ANAs in CTDs, other chronic inflammatory conditions and even in healthy people, is not completely elucidated. Anti-DFS70 antibodies connected with the dense fine speckled autoantigen of 70 kD, known as the lens epithelium-derived growth factor p75, are a subgroup of ANAs. Their presence and coexistence with other antibodies and their clinical significance are the matter of debate. METHODS Based on literature data, the authors focused on current knowledge explaining the role of anti-DFS70 antibodies in selected CTDs. RESULTS However, the literature data is ambiguous and does not fully support the validity of the anti-DFS70 assay for a specific CTD diagnosis. Most researchers claim that the presence of anti-DFS70 as the only one usually exclude the diagnosis of CTD. Nevertheless, its coexistence with other ANAs is not an excluding factor but has predictive value due to more favorable course of CTD. Such situations may also suggest an enhanced risk of the development of a CTD in the future. CONCLUSIONS Although more studies are needed in this field, it seems reasonable to ascertain the presence of anti-DFS70 in routine clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Robert A. Schwartz
- Department of DermatologyRutgers New Jersey Medical SchoolNewarkNew JerseyUSA
| | - Anna Woźniacka
- Department of Dermatology and VenereologyMedical University of ŁódźLodzPoland
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Cheng CF, Lan TY, Kao JH, Lu CH, Chang YC, Huang YM, Yang FJ, Chen JH, Lin YC, Chuang CA, Chang CH, Li KJ, Shen CY, Hsieh SC. The significance of dense fine speckled pattern in antinuclear antibody-associated rheumatic disease and coexisting autoantibodies: A propensity score-matched cohort study. Int J Rheum Dis 2023; 26:1667-1675. [PMID: 37338084 DOI: 10.1111/1756-185x.14789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023]
Abstract
AIM To investigate the relationship between the prevalence of antinuclear antibody (ANA) -associated rheumatic diseases (AARD) and the presence of dense fine speckled (DFS) and homogeneous patterns in ANA tests. METHODS This retrospective study enrolled adult patients with either a DFS or homogeneous pattern in their ANA test. A mixed pattern was defined as the presence of more than one pattern reported in the test. The presence of anti-DFS70 antibodies and other common autoantibodies were detected using EUROLINE ANA Profile 23. A 1:2 propensity score matching was applied to control for demographic and other interfering factors. RESULTS A total of 59 patients with a DFS pattern were enrolled and compared with a matched homogeneous group. The DFS group had a significantly lower prevalence of AARD (3.4% vs. 16.9%, p = .008) and the subgroup with anti-DFS70 antibodies showed an even lower prevalence (2% vs. 20%, p = .002). Among the 33 patients with monospecific anti-DFS70 antibodies, five had a mixed pattern, and all patients with common autoantibodies had an isolated DFS pattern. CONCLUSIONS The findings of this study suggest that patients with a DFS pattern in their ANA test may have a lower prevalence of AARD compared with those with a homogeneous pattern. However, an isolated DFS pattern in ANA testing does not necessarily indicate the presence of monospecific anti-DFS70 antibodies or AARD. Confirmatory testing for the monospecific anti-DFS70 antibody is mandatory to exclude AARD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiao-Feng Cheng
- Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ting-Yuan Lan
- Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital Hsin-Chu Branch, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Jui-Hung Kao
- Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital Yun-Lin Branch, Yun-Lin, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Hsun Lu
- Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Cheng Chang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital Yun-Lin Branch, Yun-Lin, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Min Huang
- Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Cancer Center, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Feng-Jung Yang
- Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital Yun-Lin Branch, Yun-Lin, Taiwan
| | - Jen-Hao Chen
- Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Cancer Center, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yen-Chun Lin
- Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital Yun-Lin Branch, Yun-Lin, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chieh-An Chuang
- Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital Yun-Lin Branch, Yun-Lin, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Hui Chang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ko-Jen Li
- Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chieh-Yu Shen
- Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Song-Chou Hsieh
- Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
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Togay A, Yılmaz N. An Investigation of the Relationship Between Isolated Anti-dense Fine-Speckled 70 Autoantibodies and Allergen-Specific Immunoglobulin E. Cureus 2023; 15:e38494. [PMID: 37273388 PMCID: PMC10237510 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.38494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Although the mechanisms of the formation of anti-dense fine-speckled 70 (anti-DFS70) antibodies are not fully known, there is evidence in the literature that allergic reactions may play a role in their formation. Immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated immunopathological mechanisms are increasingly being elucidated in diseases such as atopic dermatitis and urticaria-related diseases. We aimed to reveal its relationship with anti-DFS70 in allergen-sensitive patients with positive specific IgE (sIgE) levels. Methodology The study included samples of 758 patients who underwent antinuclear antibody (ANA) screening and allergen-sIgE testing between January 2019 and January 2022. Patients' clinical diagnoses were retrospectively obtained from the hospital information management system. ANA was tested according to the instructions of the manufacturer by the indirect immunofluorescent antibody method using HEp-2 cell substrates (Euroimmun Luebeck, Germany). Allergen-sIgE was determined by chemiluminescence on the Immulite 2000 XPI system (Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Products GmbH, Marburg, Germany) according to the instructions of the manufacturer. Results ANA pattern was detected in 74 samples included in the study. ANA-positive patients were divided into DFS70 (+) and DFS70 (-) groups. A statistically significant increase in the DFS70 pattern was observed in patients with a positive allergen-sIgE test (p < 0.0001). Both allergen-sIgE and DFS70 positivity were statistically significant in younger age groups (p < 0.05). The most common diagnosis was urticaria-related conditions in 23 (31%) patients with a positive allergy test. Conclusions Our study shows that the positivity of the DFS70 pattern is increased in allergen-sensitive patients. Therefore, the allergen-sIgE-mediated allergic disease should be considered in patients with isolated anti-DSF70. Studies with related disease groups are needed to determine whether there is a relationship between anti-DFS70 and allergy-related disease in these patients. If an immunopathological mechanism is not found, these false-positive results can be considered clinically insignificant, and unnecessary consultations can be avoided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alper Togay
- Medical Microbiology, Health Science University İzmir Tepecik Training and Research Hospital, İzmir, TUR
| | - Nisel Yılmaz
- Medical Microbiology, Health Science University İzmir Tepecik Training and Research Hospital, İzmir, TUR
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Buttia C, Llanaj E, Raeisi-Dehkordi H, Kastrati L, Amiri M, Meçani R, Taneri PE, Ochoa SAG, Raguindin PF, Wehrli F, Khatami F, Espínola OP, Rojas LZ, de Mortanges AP, Macharia-Nimietz EF, Alijla F, Minder B, Leichtle AB, Lüthi N, Ehrhard S, Que YA, Fernandes LK, Hautz W, Muka T. Prognostic models in COVID-19 infection that predict severity: a systematic review. Eur J Epidemiol 2023; 38:355-372. [PMID: 36840867 PMCID: PMC9958330 DOI: 10.1007/s10654-023-00973-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/26/2023]
Abstract
Current evidence on COVID-19 prognostic models is inconsistent and clinical applicability remains controversial. We performed a systematic review to summarize and critically appraise the available studies that have developed, assessed and/or validated prognostic models of COVID-19 predicting health outcomes. We searched six bibliographic databases to identify published articles that investigated univariable and multivariable prognostic models predicting adverse outcomes in adult COVID-19 patients, including intensive care unit (ICU) admission, intubation, high-flow nasal therapy (HFNT), extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and mortality. We identified and assessed 314 eligible articles from more than 40 countries, with 152 of these studies presenting mortality, 66 progression to severe or critical illness, 35 mortality and ICU admission combined, 17 ICU admission only, while the remaining 44 studies reported prediction models for mechanical ventilation (MV) or a combination of multiple outcomes. The sample size of included studies varied from 11 to 7,704,171 participants, with a mean age ranging from 18 to 93 years. There were 353 prognostic models investigated, with area under the curve (AUC) ranging from 0.44 to 0.99. A great proportion of studies (61.5%, 193 out of 314) performed internal or external validation or replication. In 312 (99.4%) studies, prognostic models were reported to be at high risk of bias due to uncertainties and challenges surrounding methodological rigor, sampling, handling of missing data, failure to deal with overfitting and heterogeneous definitions of COVID-19 and severity outcomes. While several clinical prognostic models for COVID-19 have been described in the literature, they are limited in generalizability and/or applicability due to deficiencies in addressing fundamental statistical and methodological concerns. Future large, multi-centric and well-designed prognostic prospective studies are needed to clarify remaining uncertainties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chepkoech Buttia
- Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Emergency Department, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Freiburgstrasse 16C, 3010 Bern, Switzerland
- Epistudia, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Erand Llanaj
- Department of Molecular Epidemiology, German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbrücke, Nuthetal, Germany
- ELKH-DE Public Health Research Group of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Department of Public Health and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
- Epistudia, Bern, Switzerland
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), München-Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Hamidreza Raeisi-Dehkordi
- Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Lum Kastrati
- Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Graduate School for Health Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology, Nutritional Medicine and Metabolism, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Mojgan Amiri
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Renald Meçani
- Department of Pediatrics, “Mother Teresa” University Hospital Center, Tirana, University of Medicine, Tirana, Albania
- Division of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Petek Eylul Taneri
- Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- HRB-Trials Methodology Research Network College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | | | - Peter Francis Raguindin
- Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Swiss Paraplegic Research, Nottwil, Switzerland
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland
| | - Faina Wehrli
- Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Farnaz Khatami
- Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Graduate School for Health Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Community Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Octavio Pano Espínola
- Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of Navarre, Pamplona, Spain
- Navarra Institute for Health Research, IdiSNA, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Lyda Z. Rojas
- Research Group and Development of Nursing Knowledge (GIDCEN-FCV), Research Center, Cardiovascular Foundation of Colombia, Floridablanca, Santander, Colombia
| | | | | | - Fadi Alijla
- Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Graduate School for Health Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Beatrice Minder
- Public Health and Primary Care Library, University Library of Bern, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Alexander B. Leichtle
- University Institute of Clinical Chemistry, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, and Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine (CAIM), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Nora Lüthi
- Emergency Department, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Freiburgstrasse 16C, 3010 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Simone Ehrhard
- Emergency Department, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Freiburgstrasse 16C, 3010 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Yok-Ai Que
- Department of Intensive Care Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Laurenz Kopp Fernandes
- Deutsches Herzzentrum Berlin (DHZB), Berlin, Germany
- Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Wolf Hautz
- Emergency Department, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Freiburgstrasse 16C, 3010 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Taulant Muka
- Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Epistudia, Bern, Switzerland
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Sanchez-Hernandez ES, Ortiz-Hernandez GL, Ochoa PT, Reeves M, Bizzaro N, Andrade LEC, Mahler M, Casiano CA. The Nuclear Dense Fine Speckled (DFS) Immunofluorescence Pattern: Not All Roads Lead to DFS70/LEDGFp75. Diagnostics (Basel) 2023; 13:diagnostics13020222. [PMID: 36673033 PMCID: PMC9858485 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics13020222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Revised: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The monospecific dense fine speckled (DFS) immunofluorescence assay (IFA) pattern is considered a potential marker to aid in exclusion of antinuclear antibody (ANA)-associated rheumatic diseases (AARD). This pattern is typically produced by autoantibodies against transcription co-activator DFS70/LEDGFp75, which are frequently found in healthy individuals and patients with miscellaneous inflammatory conditions. In AARD patients, these antibodies usually co-exist with disease-associated ANAs. Previous studies reported the occurrence of monospecific autoantibodies that generate a DFS-like or pseudo-DFS IFA pattern but do not react with DFS70/LEDGFp75. We characterized this pattern using confocal microscopy and immunoblotting. The target antigen associated with this pattern partially co-localized with DFS70/LEDGFp75 and its interacting partners H3K36me2, an active chromatin marker, and MLL, a transcription factor, in HEp-2 cells, suggesting a role in transcription. Immunoblotting did not reveal a common protein band immunoreactive with antibodies producing the pseudo-DFS pattern, suggesting they may recognize diverse proteins or conformational epitopes. Given the subjectivity of the HEp-2 IFA test, the awareness of pseudo-DFS autoantibodies reinforces recommendations for confirmatory testing when reporting patient antibodies producing a putative DFS pattern in a clinical setting. Future studies should focus on defining the potential diagnostic utility of the pseudo-DFS pattern and its associated antigen(s).
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelyn S. Sanchez-Hernandez
- Center for Health Disparities and Molecular Medicine, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA
| | - Greisha L. Ortiz-Hernandez
- Center for Health Disparities and Molecular Medicine, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA
| | - Pedro T. Ochoa
- Center for Health Disparities and Molecular Medicine, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA
| | - Michael Reeves
- Center for Health Disparities and Molecular Medicine, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA
| | - Nicola Bizzaro
- Laboratorio di Patologia Clinica, Ospedale San Antonio, Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Integrata, 33100 Udine, Italy
| | - Luis E. C. Andrade
- Rheumatology Division, Department of Medicine, Federal University of Sao Paulo, São Paulo 04021-001, Brazil
- Immunology Division, Fleury Medicine and Health Laboratory, São Paulo 04023-062, Brazil
| | | | - Carlos A. Casiano
- Center for Health Disparities and Molecular Medicine, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA
- Rheumatology Division, Department of Medicine, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +909-558-1000 (ext. 42759); Fax: +909-558-0196
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Analysis of Ana/Dfs70 Pattern in a Large Cohort of Autoimmune/Autoinflammatory Diseases Compared with First Degree Relatives and Healthy Controls Evaluated from Colombia. Diagnostics (Basel) 2022; 12:diagnostics12092181. [PMID: 36140581 PMCID: PMC9498280 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics12092181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Revised: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The presence of Antinuclear antibodies/Dense Fine Speckled 70 (ANA/DFS70) has been proposed as a negative biomarker in the process of exclusion of systemic autoimmune/autoinflammatory rheumatic diseases (SARD). The purpose was to evaluate and characterize ANA/DFS70 patients in a large Colombian population with SARD; rheumatoid arthritis (RA), Psoriasis (PsO), Undifferentiated connective tissue disease (UCTD), first-degree relatives of (FDR), and healthy controls (HC). Methods: ANA determination was performed using indirect immunofluorescence. Samples with positive dense fine granular staining in the nucleoplasm of the interphase cell (AC2) fluorescence were confirmed with CytoBead/ANA and ANA/modified (Knocked out for the PSPI1 gen). Results: 530 mestizo Colombian participants were included. ANA/DFS70 antibody positivity in the whole group was 2.3%, and 0.8% in SARD; no RA patients were positive. ANA/DFS70 positives in UCTD were three women; the average time of evolution of the disease was 9.4 years. The most frequent clinical findings were arthralgias, non-erosive arthritis, and Raynaud’s phenomenon. The PsO positive was a woman with C-reactive protein (CRP) positivity and a negative erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) without any other positive autoantibody or extracutaneous manifestation. FDR and HC positives were 7/8 women. All were negative for other autoantibodies. Conclusions: ANA/DFS70 autoantibodies were present in Colombian patients with SARD at a shallow frequency, they were more prevalent in healthy individuals.
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Freudenhammer M, Salzer U, Heselich A, Hufnagel M, Janda A. Low Prevalence of Anti-DFS70 Antibodies in Children With ANA-Associated Autoimmune Disease. Front Pediatr 2022; 10:839928. [PMID: 35391747 PMCID: PMC8980602 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2022.839928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Anti-DFS70 antibodies occur in healthy individuals with various medical conditions. Unlike other anti-nuclear autoantibodies (ANA), they are not associated with systemic autoimmune disease in adult patients. To date, only a few studies have addressed the prevalence and/or clinical relevance of anti-DFS70 autoantibodies in children with and without autoimmune disease. METHODS Included in this retrospective cross-sectional mono-centric study were 308 pediatric patients with suspected or known autoimmune conditions who had a positive ANA in indirect immune fluorescence (IIF) screening and who were screened for anti-DFS70 antibodies by extractable nuclear antigen antibodies (ENA) immunoblot. Patients were assigned to four different diagnostic categories according to their diagnosis in the corresponding medical record: (a) absence of autoimmune or rheumatic disease (noARD, n = 116); (b) suspected autoimmunity without definitive diagnosis (sAI, n = 48); (c) other rheumatic disease (ORD) (n = 115); and (d) ANA-associated autoimmune disease (AARD, n = 29). RESULTS The prevalence of anti-DFS70 antibodies in the overall cohort was 33.8%. Among children without ARD (46.6%, 54/116), prevalence was significantly higher than among children with ORD (23.7%, 27/115, p = 0.0003) or AARD (17.2%, 5/29, p = 0.0054). Among all of the anti-DFS70 positive patients with AARD, other autoantibodies were found in the ENA immunoblot. In contrast, among anti-DFS70 positive patients with ORD (11.5%, 4/27), sAI (33.3%, 6/18) and noARD (16.7%, 9/54), other autoantibodies infrequently were detected (p = 0.0005). Patients with uveitis rarely were positive for anti-DFS70 antibodies (7.7%, 1/13). No association was found between anti-DFS70 antibodies and a history of allergic conditions (p = 0.51). The concordance between a typical DFS pattern in IIF and the detection of anti-DFS70 antibodies by immunoblot was 59.3%. CONCLUSION As with adults, the higher prevalence of anti-DFS70 among children without autoimmune disease confirms the mutual exclusion for this autoantibody in the pathogenesis of ARD. Among ANA-positive children, monospecific anti-DFS70 antibodies may help to discriminate between AARD and not-AARD-related conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirjam Freudenhammer
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Center for Chronic Immunodeficiency, University Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,IMM-PACT Clinician Scientist Programme, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Ulrich Salzer
- Center for Chronic Immunodeficiency, University Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Aileen Heselich
- Center for Chronic Immunodeficiency, University Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Markus Hufnagel
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Ales Janda
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Medical Center Ulm, Ulm, Germany
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