Unmasking the 'rods and rings' antinuclear antibody pattern: a sign of hepatitis C treatment and a risk factor for cerebrovascular disease.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

The rods and rings (RR) antinuclear antibody (ANA) pattern (AC-23) is predominantly associated with hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment, particularly involving ribavirin (RBV). Its relevance in other clinical conditions is unclear. This study aims to explore the RR ANA pattern's associations with clinical conditions, including potential links to cerebrovascular disease (CVD).

Objectives

To investigate the clinical characteristics of patients displaying the RR ANA pattern, assess its associations with autoimmune diseases and other conditions and evaluate the potential risk of CVD in patients with high ANA titres.

Materials and methods

This retrospective study analyzed 43,633 ANA samples collected at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taiwan (August 2019-June 2021

SUBMITTER: Lin KM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12720668 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature