[Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies and nonspecific ulcerative colitis]

We studied the presence of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies in 16 patients with idiopathic ulcerative colitis, using an indirect immunofluorescence technique and specific ELISA for myeloperoxidase and proteinase 3. Twelve patients had an active disease and in ten, antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies were positive, with a predominantly perinuclear distribution and without specificity for myeliperoxidase or proteinase 3. These antibodies were negative in the four patients with inactive disease. It is concluded that antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies could be serologic indicators of disease activity in patients with ulcerative colitis.