Significado clinico del patron mixto de anticuerpos (antinucleares y anticitoplasmaticos) / Clinical significance of mixed anti-nuclear and anti-cytoplasmic antibody pattern

RESUMEN

Aunque se ha investigado extensamente el significado clinico de los anticuerpos antinuecleares (ANA) y se han reconocido algunas correlaciones, no esta establecido el valor diagnostico del patron mixto de ANA y anticitoplasmaticos (ANA + ACA). Nosotros observamos dicho patron mixto en el suero de 43 pacientes de un total de 7.121 examinados (0.6%). La combinacion mas comun fue con el patron homogeneo de ANA. Las entidades asociadas al patron mixto son basicamente las mismas que se asocian con los diferentes ANA; el Lupus Eritematoso Sistemico (LES) es la mas frecuente. Concluimos que la informacion obtenida del hallazgo de un patron combinado ANA + ACA es la misma que se obtiene con los ANA positivos y que su presencia en pacientes con LES no caracteriza a ningun subgrupo de la enfermedad en particular

ABSTRACT

To date, the clinical significance of combined antinuclear (ANA) and anti-cytoplasmic (ACA) indirect immunofluorescent staining has not been comprehensively studied. ANA + ACA staining was observed in 43 (0.6%) out of 7.121 consecutive sera during ANA screening for immunologic disorders in a referral hospital; both inpatient and outpatient population were included. Homogeneous ANA + cytoplasmic was by far the most common staining pattern among 6 different fluorescent combinations detected. Disease distribution was similar in groups of patients with ANA + ACA and in those with only ANA +. We conclude that information provided by mixed antibody pattern is similar to the one obtained with the sole presence of ANA; also that the presence of the mixed pattern does not characterize any particular subgroup of LES patiens.