Study of some autoantibodies in cases of lymphoproliferatve disease

lymphoproliferative disorders are usually complicated by autoimmune disorders, the aim of this work is to study the autoimmune profile in some cases of lymphoproliferative disease. Material and Sixty cases of B-lymphoproliferative disorders, forty-five cases of non-Hodgkin lymphoma [NHL] and fifteen chronic lymphocytic leukemia [CLL] were included in this study. The autoimmune profile including; anti-nuclear antibodies, anti-ds-DNA anti-cardiolipin antibodies, both IgG and IgM were evaluated. 42% percent of studied cases displayed one or more autoimmune marker positivity. A total thirteen out of sixty [22%] were postive for anti-nuclear antibodies; three out fifteen CLL cases [20%] and ten out of forty-five non-Hodgkin lymphoma cases [22%]. Two out of fifteen [13%] CLL cases and eight out of forty-five [18%] NHL cases were positive for anti-ds-DNA antibodies. Only thirty-eight cases were tested for anti-cardiolipin antibodies; three case were acL IgG positive and nine were acL IgM positive. Although there was a high percent of positive autoimmune marker, SLE was diagnosed clinically in only of the NHL cases [2.2%]. HCV seropositivity was tested to exclude HCV as a contributing factor for autoantibodies development. Causes of autoimmune phenomena in lymphoproliferative conditions are heterogeneous and the association may not necessarily causal; certain individuals may be genetically predisposed to develop both disorders i.e. that genetic factors disturbing the regulation of the immune system may predispose both to lymphoid neoplasms and to autoimmune disease