J Korean Rheum Assoc.  2001 Sep;8(3):180-186.

Clinical Significance of Antinuclear Antibodies in Rheumatoid Arthritis

• Kim KH
• Seo DY
• Han JY
• Kim JM
• Lee SW
• Chung WT

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the associations between clinical and laboratory parameters and antinuclear antibodies (ANA)in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
METHODS
We determined functional status,disease duration,hemoglobin,platelet count,erythrocyte sedimentation rate,C-reactive protein,rheumatoid factor (RF),ANA,and antiperinuclear factor in 89 RA patients.ANAs were studied by indirect immunofluorescence using Hep-2 cells.The medical records of the patients were reviewed.
RESULTS
ANAs were detected in 30.3%of RA patients and 66.6%of ANAs were below the titer of 1:80.Nine patients had ANAs above the titer of 1:160, five of them had additional diseases besides RA.The ANA positivity was correlated only with the presence of RF.Two of the 5 ANA-positive patients without RF had thyroid disease.
CONCLUSIONS
Except for RF,no significant correlation was observed between clinical and laboratory parameters and ANA positivity,but ANA positivity appears to be associated with the general autoimmunity.It is needed to search other associated pathologic conditions for ANA positive RA patients without RF.

Keyword

Antinuclear antibody; Rheumatoid arthritis; Rheumatoid factor

MeSH Terms

Antibodies, Antinuclear*
Arthritis, Rheumatoid*
Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect
Humans
Medical Records
Rheumatoid Factor
Thyroid Diseases
Antibodies, Antinuclear
Rheumatoid Factor