Acta Neurol Scand 2001 Aug;104(2):83-7
de Andres C, Guillem A, Rodriguez-Mahou
M, Lopez Longo FJ
Departments of Neurology, Immunology
and Rheumatology, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Maranon, Madrid,
Spain.
OBJECTIVE:
To determine the frequency and significance
of antinuclear (ANA), anticardiolipin (ACA) and anti-Ro (SS-A) antibodies
in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients.
METHODS:
ANA (indirect immunofluorescence),
ACA and anti-Ro (SS-A) antibodies (ELISA) were tested in sera of 42 patients
with Poser defined MS and 50 healthy individuals.
RESULTS:
High levels of anti-Ro (SS-A) antibodies
were found in 3 patients (7%) (vs 0 in the control group). Two of them
had normal salivary gland biopsy. Clinical MS form was chronic-progressive
in 2 cases and relapsing-remitting in the third one. Ten patients (23%)
had low levels of ANA (vs 4%), none of them positive for anti-Ro (SS-A)
antibodies. Only 1 patient (2%) with RR clinical form had ACA (vs 0). No
clinical or neuroradiological differences with conventional MS patients
were observed.
CONCLUSIONS:
ANA, ACA and anti-Ro (SS-A) antibodies
in MS patients indicate an underlying autoimmune disease but our series
suggests that they are an epiphenomenon of a more diffuse immunological
dysfunction.
PMID: 11493223, UI: 21384452