[Anti PM-Scl antibodies. Study of prevalence and of meaning]
[Article in French]
Service de Médecine Interne et Immunopathologie Clinique, Pavillon des Médecines, CHU de Toulouse-Purpan, TSA 40031, 31049 Toulouse Cedex 09, France.
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of our study is to appreciate the prevalence of antibodies anti PM-Scl within the framework of antinuclear antibodies detection and to clarify clinical biological and evolutive features associated to these antibodies. METHODS: 9,747 consecutive antinuclear testing datas allowed us to evaluate anti PM-Scl antibodies frequency. A retrospective analysis of patients characteristics was performed to identify clinical, biological and evolutive signs associated with this antibody over a five years follow up period. RESULTS: Over the 9,747 samples tested for antinuclear antibodies detection, 3,493 (35.8%) are positive. An anti ENA activity is observed in 727 (7.5%) cases and anti PM-Scl in 6 (0.06%). These antibodies are described in systemic sclerosis, myositis or overlap syndromes. All theses diseases showed a low evolutivity over the five years of follow up. CONCLUSIONS: Low prevalence and possible association with an overlap autoimmune syndrome of quite good prognosis are reported with anti PM-Scl antibodies.
PMID: 16797795 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]