Anti-alpha-fodrin antibodies in Sjogren's syndrome in children

Citation
N. Maeno et al., Anti-alpha-fodrin antibodies in Sjogren's syndrome in children, J RHEUMATOL, 28(4), 2001, pp. 860-864
Citations number
28
Language
INGLESE
art.tipo
Article
Categorie Soggetti
Rheumatology,"da verificare
Journal title
JOURNAL OF RHEUMATOLOGY
ISSN journal
0315-162X → ACNP
Volume
28
Issue
4
Year of publication
2001
Pages
860 - 864
Database
ISI
SICI code
0315-162X(200104)28:4<860:AAISSI>2.0.ZU;2-3
Abstract
Objective. To investigate the prevalence of anti-alpha -fodrin antibody spe cific for adult Sjogren's syndrome (SS) in patients with juvenile onset SS, Methods. Serum anti-alpha -fodrin antibody was examined in 15 patients with juvenile SS (11 cases of primary SS and 4 secondary SS) and in 16 children with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) by Western blot analysis using a r ecombinant 120 kDa alpha -fodrin fusion protein. Results. All the 15 serum samples from patients with SS reacted with a reco mbinant a-fodrin fusion protein in Western blot analysis. In contrast, reac tivity was found in only 2 of the 16 patients with SLE, The clinical featur es of the 15 patients with juvenile onset SS were very specific; only 4 pat ients complained of dryness, while 6 had abnormal excretion ability. Saliva ry gland enlargement was the most common clinical manifestation. Characteri stic laboratory findings in juvenile onset SS included a higher prevalence of antinuclear antibodies, anti-SSA/Ro antibodies, and rheumatoid factor, a s well as increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate and hypergammaglobulinem ia. Conclusion, The pathogenesis of juvenile SS seems to be: the same as that o f adult SS, although subjective symptoms of dryness are less frequent in ju venile cases. This discrepancy may indicate that SS is a slowly progressive disease with a long time span. The anti-alpha -fodrin antibody is likely t o he a reliable diagnostic marker for juvenile SS.