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Anticentromere antibody in primary biliary cirrhosis
Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases
|December 1, 1982
Summary
Anticentromere antibodies, recently found in scleroderma patients, were detected in 9.1% of primary biliary cirrhosis patients. This study confirms anticentromere antibody specificity for scleroderma, even in the context of primary biliary cirrhosis.
Area of Science:
- Autoimmune diseases
- Immunology
- Rheumatology
Background:
- Anticentromere antibodies are associated with scleroderma.
- The presence of these antibodies in primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of anticentromere antibodies in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis.
- To assess the specificity of anticentromere antibodies in the context of PBC and other autoimmune conditions.
Main Methods:
- Sera from 110 consecutive patients with primary biliary cirrhosis were tested for anticentromere antibodies.
- Patients with scleroderma, telangiectasia, calcinosis, and chronic active hepatitis served as controls or comparison groups.
Main Results:
- Anticentromere antibodies were found in 10 (9.1%) of primary biliary cirrhosis patients.
- The antibody was exclusively present in patients with co-existing scleroderma, with a 50% prevalence in this subgroup.
- All patients with telangiectasia or calcinosis tested positive for the antibody.
- The antibody was absent in 80 patients with chronic active hepatitis, including autoimmune hepatitis.
Conclusions:
- The study confirms the specificity of anticentromere antibodies for scleroderma.
- Anticentromere antibodies may be a useful biomarker in differentiating autoimmune conditions, particularly in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis.