[Evolution of connective tissue diseases with anti-ribonucleoprotein antibodies (in 28 patients) (author's transl)]

Follow-up of 28 patients with connective tissue diseases with anti-RNP antibodies revealed that the disease had followed a benign course in 19 cases and a more severe course (including one fatal outcome) in 9 cases. Severe symptoms were mainly renal, neurological, psychic, and articular in nature. The association of anti-DNA antibodies and or low blood complement levels was confirmed as being of poor prognostic significance. Correlating the clinical picture with the severity of the cases demonstrated one case of the severe form in 8 minor connective tissue diseases (arthralgia, Raynaud's syndrome, swollen fingers), three severe forms (including one death) in 9 cases of mixed diseases, and 5 severe forms in the 11 patients with isolated connective tissue disease. Minor connective tissue syndromes retain an overall favourable prognosis, but they may become severe. The poor prognosis of the juvenile forms and those related to scleroderma also has to be emphasised.