[Rheumatoid arthritis with antinuclear factor. A prospective study of 50 cases (author's transl)]

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology
• Immunology
• Clinical Medicine

Background:

• Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by joint inflammation.
• The role of antinuclear factor (ANF) in RA pathogenesis and clinical presentation requires further elucidation.
• Understanding ANF's impact is crucial for accurate diagnosis and patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To prospectively analyze and compare the clinical and laboratory features of RA patients with and without ANF.
• To assess the association between ANF and disease severity, systemic manifestations, and specific autoantibody profiles.
• To evaluate the tolerability of gold compounds and D-penicillamine in RA patients with varying ANF status.

Main Methods:

• Prospective analysis of 50 RA patients with ANF, compared to 50 RA patients without ANF.
• Clinical assessment of articular and systemic symptoms, including Gougerot-Sjögren syndrome.
• Laboratory evaluation using latex agglutination, Waaler-Rose tests, and Farr's radioimmunoassay for autoantibodies.

Main Results:

• No significant difference in the severity of articular lesions between ANF-positive and ANF-negative RA groups.
• Systemic symptoms and Gougerot-Sjögren syndrome were more frequent in RA patients with ANF.
• RA patients with ANF exhibited stronger positive responses in latex and Waaler-Rose tests; Farr's assay showed variable positivity.

Conclusions:

• ANF in RA is associated with increased systemic manifestations and specific immunological markers, rather than joint damage severity.
• Gougerot-Sjögren syndrome is a notable comorbidity in ANF-positive RA patients.
• Gold compounds and D-penicillamine were well-tolerated, suggesting their utility across RA patient subgroups.