Anti-nucleosome Antibodies: Utility in Diagnosis of SLE and Monitoring Disease Activity

摘要

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex autoimmune disease of unknown aetiology with heterogeneity in clinical presentation and the course of disease, characterized by a wide range of auto antibodies, immune-complex deposition and end-organ damage. Auto antibodies are present in at least 95% of SLE patients. Presence of auto antibodies is one of the 11 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Criteria for diagnosis of SLE. Majority of the antibodies are directed against the nuclear antigens (anti- nuclear antibodies [ANA]), cytoplasm or cell surface proteins.1 Anti nuclear antibodies are positive in many other connective tissue disorders like Sjogren’s syndrome, systemic sclerosis, polymyositis, dermatomyositis, etc. They may also be detected in healthy individuals. They have low specificity for the diagnosis of SLE.