Serological Stratification by Anti-Ro52 and Anti-Ro60 Profiles Reveals Distinct Systemic Phenotypes in Primary...

Anti-Ro52 and anti-Ro60 antibodies are key serological markers for primary Sjögren's disease (pSjD), yet their association with specific clinical phenotypes remains unclear. This study aimed to define the predictive value of anti-Ro profiles for systemic involvement in pSjD.

In this retrospective study of 725 pSjD patients, we categorized patients into four subgroups based on their anti-Ro52/Ro60 status. Multivariable logistic regression, adjusted for confounders via LASSO, assessed independent associations. Relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI), attributable proportion of interaction (AP) and synergy index (SI) were calculated to determine the additive interaction between anti-Ro52 and anti-Ro60.

The cohort consisted of 21.5% Ro52-Ro60-, 17.7% Ro52+Ro60-, 10.2% Ro52-Ro60+, and 50.6% Ro52+Ro60+ patients. Anti-Ro52 positive groups (Ro52+Ro60- and Ro52+Ro60+) exhibited significantly higher ESSDAI scores. After adjustment, the Ro52+Ro60+ profile was independently associated with renal involvement (OR=5.53, 95%CI 2.56-11.97, p<0.001), cutaneous involvement (OR=2.49, 95%CI 1.08-5.75, p=0.032), hyperglobulinemia (OR=5.19, 95%CI 2.96-9.10, p<0.001), and low complement levels (OR=1.70, 95%CI 1.07-2.71, p=0.025). In contrast, the Ro52+Ro60- profile was specifically linked to interstitial lung disease (ILD) (OR=4.17, 95%CI 2.33-7.46, p<0.001). A significant synergistic interaction between anti-Ro52 and anti-Ro60 was identified for hyperglobulinemia (adjusted RERI=3.00, 95%CI 0.87-5.14; AP=0.58, 95%CI 0.31-0.84; SI=3.52, 95CI 1.04-11.94).

Anti-Ro52 and anti-Ro60 profiles delineate distinct clinical subsets of pSjD. Anti-Ro52 positivity is associated with greater disease severity, while double positivity defines a unique subgroup with multi-organ involvement and immune hyperactivation, highlighting the clinical utility of comprehensive anti-Ro testing.