Prediction models for rheumatoid arthritis during diagnostic investigation: evaluation of combinations of rheumatoid factor, anti-citrullinated protein/peptide antibodies and the human leucocyte antigen-shared epitope.

Objectives: To calculate the probabilities for rheumatoid arthritis in a consecutive cohort of patients during diagnostic investigation. Different logistic regression models evaluating the value of human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-shared epitope determination and testing for rheumatoid factor and anti-citrullinated protein/peptide antibodies (ACPA) were fitted.

Methods: 1003 consecutive patients were included in the study, presenting a new diagnostic problem for which rheumatoid arthritis was included in the differential diagnosis.

Accuracy of anti-ribosomal P protein antibody testing for the diagnosis of neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus: an international meta-analysis.

Objective: To quantitatively evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of antibodies to ribosomal P proteins (anti-P) for neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE) in general, for psychosis, mood disorder, or both, and for other diffuse manifestations.

Methods: This international meta-analysis combined standardized data from 1,537 lupus patients contributed by 14 research teams. Weighted estimation of sensitivity and specificity with fixed-effects and random-effects models, as well as summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curve analysis, was used to summarize test performance.

Diagnostic classification of spondylarthropathy and rheumatoid arthritis by synovial histopathology: a prospective study in 154 consecutive patients.

Objective: To explore prospectively the value of synovial histopathology in comparison with the value of classic parameters for diagnostic classification of spondylarthropathy (SpA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in patients with an atypical disease presentation.

Methods: Synovial biopsy samples were obtained from 154 consecutive patients presenting for diagnostic evaluation; 67 patients fulfilled the classification criteria for RA, SpA, or other well-defined disease at the time of arthroscopy (cohort 1), and an additional 53 patients were classified after a full diagnostic reevaluation at 6 months (cohort 2). Synovial parameters with diagnostic value were identified in cohort 1 and were compared prospectively with classic diagnostic parameters in cohort 2.

Antinuclear antibodies following infliximab treatment in patients with rheumatoid arthritis or spondylarthropathy.

Objective: To investigate the effect of infliximab treatment on antinuclear antibodies (ANAs), anti-double-stranded DNA (anti-dsDNA), antinucleosome, antihistone, and anti-extractable nuclear antigen (anti-ENA) antibodies in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and spondylarthropathy (SpA) patients.

Methods: Sera from 62 RA and 35 SpA patients treated with infliximab were tested at baseline and week 30 (RA group) or week 34 (SpA group). ANAs were tested by indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) on HEp-2 cells.

Detection of specific antinuclear reactivities in patients with negative anti-nuclear antibody immunofluorescence screening tests.

Background: For detection of anti-nuclear antibodies (ANAs) and antibodies to extractable nuclear antigens (ENAs), samples frequently are screened with indirect immunofluorescence (IIF); further determination of anti-ENA antibodies is performed only when the result is positive. However, because anti-ENA reactivities are found in samples with low fluorescence intensities, we determined anti-ENA antibodies in samples with negative IIF and thus calculated the sensitivity of IIF for specific ANAs.

Methods: We collected 494 samples consecutively referred by rheumatologists for routine ANA testing.