[ACPA: the first serologic marker for Wegener's granulomatosis]

The anticytoplasmatic autoantibody against intracytoplasmatic antigens of granulocytes (ACPA) was demonstratable in 23 patients in the active generalised or incomplete remission phase of Wegener's granulomatosis, but absent in 17 patients in the initial or complete remission phase. The test was negative in 900 serum samples from a control group. This autoantibody seems to be a marker of unusual specificity for Wegener's granuloma, and contributes to better assessment of activity in this disease.