Plasma Autoantibodies

Different antibodies have different disease associations

AntibodyDisease associationNota bene
Rheumatoid factor (RF)Positive in Sjögren syndrome (≤ 100%), Felty’s syndrome (≤ 100%), rheumatoid arthritis (70%), mixed connective tissue disease (50%), hepatitis and infective endocarditis (<50%), SLE (≤ 40%), systemic sclerosis (30%), normal (2 – 10%)
Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies (anti-CCP)Positive in rheumatoid arthritis (~ 96%)Can be used for the initial workup of suspected rheumatoid arthritis
Anti-nuclear antibody (ANA)Positive in Sjorgen syndrome (≤ 100%), Felty’s syndrome (≤ 100%), rheumatoid arthritis (70%), mixed connective tissue disease (50%), hepatitis and infective endocarditis (<50%), SLE (≤ 40%), systemic sclerosis (30%), normal (2 – 10%)Positive in SLE (>95%), systemic sclerosis (96%), autoimmune hepatitis (75%), rheumatoid arthritis (30%), Sjorgens syndrome (60%), normal (0-2%)
ANA staining patternsHomogenous – SLE; Nucleolar – systemic sclerosis; – Speckled – mixed connective tissue disease; Centromere – limited systemic sclerosisThis is not specific
Anti-double-stranded DNA (anti-dsDNA)SLE60% sensitivity but highly specific
Anti-histone antibodiesDrug-induced SLE (100%)
Anti-phospholipid antibodiesAntiphospholipid syndrome, SLE1:160 means antibodies can still be detected even after the serum has been diluted 160-fold.
Anti-centromeLimited systemic sclerosis
Anti-extractable nuclear antigen (ENA) antibodiesAnti-Ro (SSA) – SLE, Sjogren syndrome, systemic sclerosis, congenital heart block; Anti-La (SSB) – Sjogren syndrome, SLE; Anti-Sm – SLE, Anti-RNP – SLE, mixed connective tissue disease; Anti-Jo-1 and anti-Mi-2 – polymyositis, dermatomyositis; Anti-Scl70 – diffuse systemic sclerosisOrdered after a positive ANA
Anti-mitochondrial antibodiesPrimary biliary cholangitis (>95%), autoimmune hepatitis (30%), idiopathic cirrhosis (25-30%)
Anti-smooth muscle antibodiesAutoimmune hepatitis (70%), primary biliary cholangitis (50%), idiopathic cirrhosis (25-30%)
Gastric parietal cell antibodiesPernicious anaemia (> 90%), atrophic gastritis (40%), normal (10%)
Intrinsic factor antibodiesPernicious anaemia (50%)
α-gliadin antibodiesCoeliac disease
Anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodiesCoeliac disease
Anti-endomysial antibodiesCoeliac disease
Thyroid peroxidase antibodies (anti-TPO)Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (~ 87%), Graves’ disease (> 50%)
Islet cell antibodiesType 1 diabetes
Glutamic acid decarboxylase antibodiesType 1 diabetes
Glomerular basement membrane antibodies (anti-GBM)Goodpasture’s disease
Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA)Vasculitis, Ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, sclerosing cholangitis, autoimmune hepatitis, Felty’s syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, SLE, antithyroid drugs, allopurinol, ciprofloxacinANCA-associated vasculitides do not consume complement or have immune-complex deposition (pauci-immune vasculitides)
Cytoplasmic antineutrophilic cytoplasmic antibodies (cANCA)Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (90%), microscopic polyangiitis (30%), polyarteritis nodosa (11%)Specific for serine proteinase-3 (PR3 positive)
Perinuclear antineutrophilic cytoplasmic antibodies (pANCA)Microscopic polyangiitis (45%), Churg-Strauss, pulmonary-renal vasculitides (Godpasture’s)Specific for myeloperoxidase (MPO positive)
Acetylcholine receptor antibodiesMyasthenia gravis (90%)
Anti-voltage-gated K+ channel antibodiesLimbic encephalitis
Anti-voltage-gated Ca2+ channel antibodiesLambert-Eaton syndrome
Anti-aquaporin 4 antibodiesNeuromyelitis optica (Devic’s disease)
Dr Jeffrey Kalei
Dr Jeffrey Kalei

Author and illustrator for Hyperexcision. Interested in emergency room medicine. I have a passion for medical education and drawing.

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