Clinical features and evolution of antinuclear antibody positive individuals in a rheumatology outpatient clinic

Vlachoyiannopoulos, PG; Tzavara, V; Dafni, U; Spanos, E; Moutsopoulos, HM

dc.contributor.author	Vlachoyiannopoulos, PG	en
dc.contributor.author	Tzavara, V	en
dc.contributor.author	Dafni, U	en
dc.contributor.author	Spanos, E	en
dc.contributor.author	Moutsopoulos, HM	en
dc.date.accessioned	2014-03-01T01:47:34Z
dc.date.available	2014-03-01T01:47:34Z
dc.date.issued	1998	en
dc.identifier.issn	0315-162X	en
dc.identifier.uri	https://dspace.lib.ntua.gr/xmlui/handle/123456789/25259
dc.subject	ANA positive individuals	en
dc.subject	systemic lupus erythematosus	en
dc.subject	evolution	en
dc.subject	autoantibodies	en
dc.subject.classification	Rheumatology	en
dc.subject.other	SYSTEMIC LUPUS-ERYTHEMATOSUS	en
dc.subject.other	BLOOD-DONORS	en
dc.subject.other	AUTOIMMUNE-THYROIDITIS	en
dc.subject.other	SJOGRENS-SYNDROME	en
dc.subject.other	DISEASE	en
dc.subject.other	AUTOANTIBODIES	en
dc.subject.other	ASSOCIATIONS	en
dc.title	Clinical features and evolution of antinuclear antibody positive individuals in a rheumatology outpatient clinic	en
heal.type	journalArticle	en
heal.language	English	en
heal.publicationDate	1998	en
heal.abstract	Objective. To identify individuals with antinuclear antibodies (ANA) not fulfilling criteria for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) or other connective tissue diseases (CTD); to describe their clinical and serological features, to identify factors indicating evolution to SLE. Methods. A case-control study, based on retrospective evaluation of clinical files. The cases were ANA positive individuals (n = 50) examined in a medical outpatient setting, for symptoms compatible with SLE, but not fulfilling SLE classification criteria. Two patients with SLE were matched to each case in terms of age at initial symptom onset and sex. Thyroid autoimmunity was assessed by detecting antithyroid antibodies. Fisher's exact test and conditional logistic regression were used to evaluate the predictive ability of initial findings for SLE development. Results. ANA positive individuals suspected of having a CTD present a wide variety of symptoms and findings, usually at the 4th to 5th decade of life. Antibodies to Sm and UIRNP were absent: anti-Ro(SSA) and anti-La(SSB) occurred in 6%, while anti-dsDNA occurred in less than 10% of the cases. Arthritis, butterfly and discoid rash, Raynaud's phenomenon, and anti-Ro/SSA antibodies are the initial findings indicating evolution to SLE. Hematological abnormalities such as leukopenia and thrombocytopenia as well as constitutional symptoms such as easy fatigue and arthralgias are not associated with evolution to SLE. Antithyroid antibodies were detected in 16% of the cases and 2.3% of controls. Conclusion, ANA may connote a form of systemic autoimmunity that is expressed as a wide variety of complaints, even in the absence of a definite diagnosis of CTD. Arthritis, rash, Raynaud's phenomenon, and anti-Ro/SSA antibodies indicate evolution to SLE. Autoimmune thyroid disease occurs in ANA positive individuals not fulfilling SLE classification criteria rather than in patients with SLE.	en
heal.publisher	J RHEUMATOL PUBL CO	en
heal.journalName	JOURNAL OF RHEUMATOLOGY	en
dc.identifier.isi	ISI:000073388000011	en
dc.identifier.volume	25	en
dc.identifier.issue	5	en
dc.identifier.spage	886	en
dc.identifier.epage	891	en