Myositis Autoantibodies in Patients with Suspected Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Infectious Diseases
• Neurology

Background:

• Lyme disease is typically treated with antibiotics, but some patients develop persistent symptoms known as post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome (PTLDS).
• The exact cause of PTLDS is unknown, but immunopathological mechanisms are suspected.
• Autoantibodies, specifically myositis-specific (MSA) and myositis-associated (MAA) autoantibodies, are implicated in autoimmune muscle inflammation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the presence and significance of MSA and MAA in patients diagnosed with PTLDS.
• To explore the potential role of these autoantibodies in the underlying pathogenesis of PTLDS.

Main Methods:

• Analyzed serum samples from 59 PTLDS patients and 40 controls using immunoblot methods to detect MSA/MAA.
• Assessed serum creatine kinase (CK) and myoglobin levels in autoantibody-positive individuals.
• Statistical analysis was performed to compare autoantibody prevalence between groups.

Main Results:

• MSA/MAA were detected in 30.5% of PTLDS patients, significantly higher than the 5% found in controls (p = 0.002).
• Mild elevations in muscle damage markers (CK, myoglobin) were observed in a subset of MSA/MAA-positive PTLDS patients.
• A statistically significant association was found between PTLDS and the presence of myositis autoantibodies.

Conclusions:

• The study indicates a higher prevalence of MSA/MAA in PTLDS patients compared to controls.
• These findings suggest that MSA/MAA may play a role in the immunopathogenesis of PTLDS.
• Further research is needed to elucidate the precise involvement of autoantibodies in PTLDS development and persistence.