Antifilaggrin autoantibodies in rheumatoid arthritis / 中华风湿病学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the significance of antifilaggrin autoantibodies (AFA) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).Methods Filaggrin was extracted from the skin of the patients who had breast cancer undergoing mammectomy.AFA were detected at the sera titer 1∶10 with Western blotting,and its clinical significance was investigated with the corresponding clinical materials.Results Antifilaggrin autoantibodies (AFA) were detected in 39 9%(71/178) of RA patients,and 6 cases of control group,with a specificity of 0 969.AFA were present in 48 4%(15/31) of the early and 29 2% of seronegative RA.AFA positive patients exhibited higher frequency of Sjgren′s syndrome;The average and onset ages of AFA positive patients were older than those of the negative ones,and there was correlation between AFA and age.The frequency and average titer of RF patients were higher in AFA positive than in negative ones.AFA was significantly correlated to RF,AKA and APF.Conclusion AFA are valuable diagnostic parameter for RA,especially in the early and seronegative RA.AFA is significantly correlated to AKA and APF,but they are not totally overlapped,None of the three antigens used bear all the epitopes recognised by antifilaggrin autoantibodies.Immunoblot detection of AFA,a simple and reliable test,may be complement to conventional IIF detection of AKA and APF.