Anti-dsDNA Testing Specificity for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Autoantibody specificity in autoimmune diseases is variable due to each patient's individual spectrum of autoantibodies and the inherent differences between detection methods and tests. Since false-positive results have downstream consequences, we conducted a comprehensive assessment of anti-double stranded DNA (anti-dsDNA) specificity from published studies of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

METHODS

A systematic review (MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects) identified cross-sectional or case-control studies published January 2004 to August 2019, reporting anti-dsDNA test accuracy data in SLE. Study quality was assessed using Quality Assessment Tool for Diagnostic Accuracy Studies, version 2. A meta-analysis was conducted to estimate specificity by test method or named test where feasible.

RESULTS

Thirty studies were included covering 43 different tests. The Crithidia luciliae indirect immunofluorescence test (CLIFT) and fluorescence enzyme immunoassay methods are likely to be ≥ 90% specific (Euroimmun 97.8% (95% CI 96.2%-98.7%) 4 studies; EliA 94.7% (95% CI 91.7%-96.7%), 6 studies; CLIFT 98.7% (95% CI 96.7%-99.5%), 8 studies/7 tests]. For other test methods, specificity was not fully demonstrated to be ≥ 90% and/or the control group included healthy patients possibly overestimating specificity. More studies are required for NOVA Lite [96.0% (95% CI 87.2%-98.9%), 5 studies], chemiluminescence immunoassays [92.3% (95% CI 83.6%-96.6%), 6 studies/4 tests], multiplex immunoassays [89.3% (95% CI 86.1%-91.8%), 4 studies/2 tests], and Farr fluorescent immunoassays (no estimate, 2 studies). Specificity data reported for Farr radioimmunoassays [93.8% (95% CI 85.4-97.5%), 11 studies, 9 tests] and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays [93.4% (95% CI 89.9%-95.7%), 15 studies/16 tests] lacked consistency.

CONCLUSION

Anti-dsDNA testing shows considerable variation in test specificity, with potential impact on the management of SLE patients. This review may help laboratory specialists and clinicians choose and interpret the appropriate anti-dsDNA test for their setting.

Systematic review of anti-dsDNA testing for systemic lupus erythematosus: A meta-analysis of the diagnostic test specificity of an anti-dsDNA fluorescence enzyme immunoassay

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The objective of this meta-analysis was to review the diagnostic performance of anti-dsDNA testing, to determine whether test specificity meets the revised 2019 EULAR/ACR classification criteria for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The new criteria state that anti-dsDNA testing should be conducted using "an immunoassay with demonstrated ≥ 90% specificity for SLE against relevant disease controls".

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A systematic review (MEDLINE, Embase, CENTRAL and DARE) identified cross-sectional or case-control studies published January 2004 to August 2019, reporting anti-dsDNA test accuracy data. Studies included cases of SLE (confirmed using one or more of three validated SLE classification criteria sets) and a disease control group. Data were adjusted to exclude healthy controls. A hierarchical, bivariate mixed-effect meta-analysis of eligible quantitative studies was conducted in STATA MP v16.1 to produce a pooled estimate of sensitivity and specificity.

RESULTS

The review identified six fluorescence immunoassay (FEIA) dsDNA studies (1977 total patients, of whom 47% had SLE) eligible to be included in quantitative meta-analysis and all reported a point estimate >90% for specificity. The meta-analysis estimated a pooled specificity of 94.7% (95% CI 91.67%-96.67%).

CONCLUSION

The meta-analysis has demonstrated that the specificity of FEIA dsDNA is ≥90% for SLE, against relevant disease controls, and therefore performs in accordance with the 2019 classification criteria.

Primary biliary cholangitis with normal alkaline phosphatase: A neglected clinical entity challenging current guidelines

BACKGROUND & AIM

The diagnosis of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), an uncommon immune-mediated cholestatic liver disease, is based on positive circulating anti-mitochondrial (AMA) and/or PBC-specific anti-nuclear autoantibodies (ANA), coupled with elevated serum alkaline phopsphatase (ALP) levels. Timely initiation of treatment with ursodeoxycholic acid prevents progression to cirrhosis and liver failure. We aimed at investigating liver histology in patients with normal ALP level and positive AMA and/or PBC-specific ANA.

METHODS

We searched the Swiss PBC Cohort Study database, which includes subjects with positive PBC autoimmune serology and normal ALP levels, for patients who underwent a liver biopsy. Histological slides were centrally reviewed by an expert liver pathologist, and sera were centrally re-tested for AMA and ANA.

RESULTS

30 patients were included; 90% females, median age 53 (range 27-72) years. Twenty-four (80%) had liver histology typical for (n = 2), consistent with (n = 16) or suggestive of (n = 6) PBC, including three of four AMA-negative ANA-positive patients. Among 22 ursodeoxycholic acid treated patients, 14 had elevated GGT levels before treatment; a significant decrease of the median GGT level between pre- (1.46 x ULN) and post- (0.43 x ULN) treatment (p = 0.0018) was observed.

CONCLUSIONS

In our series, a high proportion of AMA positive patients with normal ALP levels have PBC. For the first time we show histological diagnosis of PBC in AMA-negative/PBC-specific ANA-positive subjects and the potential role of GGT as a biomarker in PBC patients with normal baseline ALP levels. Current guidelines for the diagnosis of PBC do not cover the whole extent of PBC presentation, with important clinical implications in terms of timely treatment initiation.

Quadruple-resonance magic-angle spinning NMR spectroscopy of deuterated solid proteins

(1)H-detected magic-angle spinning NMR experiments facilitate structural biology of solid proteins, which requires using deuterated proteins. However, often amide protons cannot be back-exchanged sufficiently, because of a possible lack of solvent exposure. For such systems, using (2)H excitation instead of (1)H excitation can be beneficial because of the larger abundance and shorter longitudinal relaxation time, T1, of deuterium. A new structure determination approach, "quadruple-resonance NMR spectroscopy", is presented which relies on an efficient (2)H-excitation and (2)H-(13)C cross-polarization (CP) step, combined with (1)H detection. We show that by using (2)H-excited experiments better sensitivity is possible on an SH3 sample recrystallized from 30 % H2O. For a membrane protein, the ABC transporter ArtMP in native lipid bilayers, different sets of signals can be observed from different initial polarization pathways, which can be evaluated further to extract structural properties.