Unstabilized DNA breaks in lymphocytes of patients with systemic sclerosis.

The clastogenic effects on DNA, proven by the presence of micronuclei (MN), and the protective cellular mechanisms normally used to stabilize DNA breaks were investigated in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). The frequency of micronucleated cells found in cultures of peripheral lymphocytes in patients was significantly higher than in the control group. The patient group with anti-centromere antibodies showed a significantly higher frequency of micronucleated cells than that observed in the patients with anti-topoisomerase I antibodies (4.

Use of a new silica clotting time for diagnosing lupus anticoagulant in patients who meet the clinical criteria for antiphospholipid syndrome.

The silica clotting time (SCT) is a phospholipid-dependent coagulation assay used for the laboratory diagnosis of lupus anticoagulant (LA) antibodies. The sensitivity and specificity of a new commercial SCT for identifying LA in patients who meet the clinical criteria for antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), and its association with thrombotic events were evaluated here. Forty-five patients who met the clinical criteria for APS according to the Sapporo International Consensus Statement were examined.

Sensitivity and specificity for primary Sjögren's syndrome of IgA and IgG anti-alpha-fodrin antibodies detected by ELISA.

Objective: To investigate the sensitivity and specificity of anti-alpha-fodrin antibodies in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS).

Methods: IgA and IgG anti-alpha-fodrin antibodies were measured in the sera of 80 patients with pSS, 60 blood donors matched for age and sex, 50 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), 30 with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), 20 with systemic sclerosis (SSc), and 10 with polymyositis or dermatomyositis (PM/DM) by an ELISA method employing recombinant human alpha-fodrin as antigen.

Results: The sensitivity of IgA and IgG anti-alpha-fodrin antibodies for pSS was 32.

Autoantibodies to proteinase 3 and myeloperoxidase in systemic sclerosis.

Objective: We evaluated the prevalence and clinical significance of proteinase 3 (PR3-) and myeloperoxidase (MPO-) antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) in 115 patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc, scleroderma).

Methods: Sera were assayed by 2 independent centers, which used indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) and direct ELISA as screening tests. Inhibition-ELISA for PR3- and MPO-ANCA and PR3 capture-ELISA experiments were also performed.