RESUMEN
To test the presence of Antineutrophil cytoplasmic Autoantibodies [ANCA] in active SLE cases and its relationship to disease activity, 20 patients with active SLE [mean age=25 +/- 9.1 years] and 10 healthy controls [mean age=29 +/- 1.5 years] were studied. All were subjected to the following investigations: C.B.C, E.S.R, C.R.P., blood urea, serum creatinine, L.E, cell test, detection of DNA by agglutination method, cDNA and ANCA by indirect immunofluorescent technique. Four cases [20%] were found to have c-ANCA, one [5%] was found to have P-ANCA and 15 cases [75%] were negative to ANCA. A statistically significant decrease was found in ANCA-negative cases when compared with ANCA-positive cases as regard; renal function test, T.L.C., absolute neutrophil count, ESR and total score of the disease activity. It may be concluded that ANCA may have a significant value as a marker of SLE activity and may be of pathogenic significance in SLE cases