Primary biliary cirrhosis in female subjects with sicca-associated antibodies

Mod Rheumatol. 2007;17(6):486-91. doi: 10.1007/s10165-007-0631-6. Epub 2007 Dec 20.

Abstract

The aim of this study is to clarify the time course of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) in subjects possessing anticentromere antibodies (ACA), anti-Ro, and/or anti-La antibodies, and who used alkaline phosphatase (ALP) as a serological marker for PBC. Female subjects (n = 165), who had at least one of ACA, anti-Ro, and/or anti-La, were enrolled in this study. Groups A (ACA alone, n = 44), B (anti-Ro alone, n = 54), E (anti-Ro and anti-La, n = 52), and DFG (ACA with anti-Ro and/or anti-La, n = 14) were analyzed. Healthy females (n = 65) were used as a control. The frequencies of the PBC in groups A (13.6%) and DFG (14.3%) were higher than those in groups B (1.9%) and E (0.0%). The ALP levels increased with age in groups A and DFG and slightly increased with age in groups B and C, and the control group. After correcting for age by analysis of covariance, a comparison of ALP levels among the groups not having anti-M(2) was as follows: group A falling dots group DFG > group B falling dots group E falling dots the control group. The subjects with ACA might thus have PBC more frequently than either those with anti-Ro and/or anti-La, or the control subjects.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Alkaline Phosphatase / blood
  • Antibodies, Antinuclear / blood*
  • Antibodies, Antinuclear / immunology
  • Autoantigens / blood
  • Autoantigens / immunology*
  • Biomarkers / blood
  • Centromere / immunology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary / diagnosis
  • Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary / enzymology
  • Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary / immunology*
  • Middle Aged
  • Ribonucleoproteins / blood
  • Ribonucleoproteins / immunology*
  • SS-B Antigen

Substances

  • Antibodies, Antinuclear
  • Autoantigens
  • Biomarkers
  • Ribonucleoproteins
  • SS-A antibodies
  • Alkaline Phosphatase