Clinical and laboratory characteristics of patients with speckled pattern antinuclear antibodies.

Fifty patients whose sera contained a speckled antinuclear antibody (ANA) were interviewed and examined to determine if there was any relationship between their clinical manifestations and the presence of certain serological markers. The results suggest that speckled ANA is usually found in patients with definite connective tissue diseases, but a significant minority have incomplete or early stages of these diseases. Characterisation of the antibody to extractable nuclear antigen (ENA) and other serological markers does not normally assist in making a clinical diagnosis, but the detection of a speckled ANA should prompt further investigation and careful follow-up.