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Updated: Oct 22, 2025
Anti-Nuclear Antibody Screening Using HEp-2 Cells
Published on: June 23, 2014
Clinical Relevance of Autoantibodies and Inflammatory Parameters in Non-infectious Scleritis
D P C Vergouwen1,2, J C Ten Berge1, S Boukhrissi2
1Department of Ophthalmology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Purpose:
Scleritis is a potentially blinding disorder, with highly unpredictable course and outcome. We analyzed the prevalence and clinical relevance of autoantibodies and inflammatory parameters in non-infectious scleritis.
Methods:
Retrospective analysis of laboratory findings in all consecutive patients at the department of Ophthalmology of the Erasmus MC with non-infectious scleritis.
Results:
We included 81 patients with non-infectious scleritis. A systemic autoimmune disease was present in 46%. Positive anti-nuclear antibodies were found in 30%, anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies were positive in 19%, and the presence of rheumatoid factor was shown in 17%. The aforementioned autoantibodies, as well as inflammatory parameters, failed to show prognostic clinical value. In contrast, anti-citrullinated peptide antibodies (ACPA), found in 9% of scleritis patients, were significantly associated with the development of scleral necrosis (P = .01).
Conclusions:
The presence of ACPA in patients with non-infectious scleritis was associated with the development of scleral necrosis.
