J Korean Rheum Assoc.  1994 Jan;1(1):46-52.

Prevalence Of Anti-Neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibodies In Rheumatic Diseases Including Vasculitides

• Song YW
• Peek KR

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) are autoantibodies that are specific for proteins in the cytoplasm of neutrophils and monocytes. In the 10 years since their discovery, ANCA have become widely used serological markers for various systemic necrotizing vasculitides, including Wegener's granulomatosis, polyarteritis nodosa, crescentic glomerulonephritis, and Churg-Strauss syndrome. Rheumatic manifestations (such as arthralgia, myalgia, even frank arthritis) are observed frequently in the group of primary vasculitides. In the group of collagen vascular diseases and the various forms of chronic inflammatory arthritis, vasculitis may severely complicate the course of the disease. Since atypical vasculitic diseases are indistingushable from other rheumatic disorders in the initial period of disease, immunological studies must be performed. We conducted this study for obtaining the seroprevalence of ANCA in rheumatic disorders including vasculitides which are common in Korea. METHOD: ANCA was detected with indirect immunofluorescent microscopy of alcohol-fixed granulocytes.
RESULTS
Total 185 patients were enrolled in this study. There was no patient having C-ANCA except one patient with Wegener's granulomatosis. Total 5 patients were positive for P-ANCA; 2 of 41 SLE patients, 1 of 22 dermatomyositis/polymyositis patients, 2 of 50 Behcet's disease patients. All 11 patients with Takayasu's meritis were ANCA-negative. These results were similar to those of others.
CONCLUSION
ANCA, as a adjunct to other autoantibodies, will be helpful for differential diagnosis of various vasculitides and rheumatic disorders.

Keyword

ANCA(antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody; rheumatic disease; vasculitis; seroprevalence

MeSH Terms

Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic*
Arthralgia
Arthritis
Autoantibodies
Churg-Strauss Syndrome
Collagen
Cytoplasm
Diagnosis, Differential
Glomerulonephritis
Granulocytes
Humans
Immune System Diseases
Korea
Microscopy
Monocytes
Myalgia
Neutrophils
Polyarteritis Nodosa
Prevalence*
Rheumatic Diseases*
Seroepidemiologic Studies
Vascular Diseases
Vasculitis*
Wegener Granulomatosis
Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic
Autoantibodies
Collagen