Class specific rheumatoid factors and their complement binding property in the sera of patients suffering from...

In this prospective study of 44 patients suffering from recent-onset rheumatoid arthritis we followed the changes in serum levels of rheumatoid factors (RF) of the main immunoglobulin classes and their complement binding property (C3BP) and studied the correlations of these variables with clinical and laboratory parameters of disease activity. The study showed that RFs of all immunoglobulin classes and C3BP fluctuated longitudinally correlating significantly with each other and with laboratory variables of disease activity. IgG-RFs, however, appeared to predict the erosiveness and to correlate best with the articular activity of the disease. Chrysotherapy was shown to decrease serum levels of all RF isotypes irrespectively of whether the patients responded to the therapy or not.