J Clin Pathol Qual Control.  1997 Jun;19(1):209-214.

Clinical Characteristics of Patients with Anticentromere Antibody

• Kang HJ
• Lee KM

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Anticentromere antibody (ACA) is a serological marker for limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis (ISSc), more benign variant of scleroderma. It can be detected with characteristic pattern on fluorescent antinuclear antibody (ANA) test. We attempted to elucidate the diagnostic value of ACA in a sample of patients being evaluated for rheumatic disease.
METHODS
We retrospectively analyzed clinical records of the patients whose sera showed characteristic ACA pattern on fluorescent ANA tests performed at Hallym Medical Center between March, 1992 and August, 1996. The sera of these patients were also tested for RA factor (latex agglutination), anti-dsDNA antibody (indirect immunofluorescent assay), anti-Sm, anti-Sm/RNP, anti-SSA, anti-SSB and anti-Scl 70 antibodies (enzyme immunoassay).
RESULTS
Among the sera of 344 patients positive for ANA, 22 (6.4%) showed typical pattern for ACA. Predominant clinical features among the ACA positive pateints were arthritis or arthralgia (36.4%), Raynaud's phenomenon (31.8%), and scleroderma affecting hands, feet, and face (22.7%). There were six patients with rheumatoid arthritis, five with ISSc and three with autoimmune hepatitis. Five patients were positive for RA factor, three for anti-SSA antibody and other antibodies were not detected.
CONCLUSIONS
ACA is a distinct autoantibody which is less associated with other autoantibdies used for serologic markers of systemic rheumatic disease. It can be detected on patients with various rheumatic disease including rheumatoid arthritis and ISSc. The diagnostic specificities of ACA for ISSc or Raynaud's phenomenon may be lower than originally thought.

MeSH Terms

Antibodies
Antibodies, Antinuclear
Arthralgia
Arthritis
Arthritis, Rheumatoid
Foot
Hand
Hepatitis, Autoimmune
Humans
Retrospective Studies
Rheumatic Diseases
Scleroderma, Systemic
Antibodies
Antibodies, Antinuclear