Anti-fibrillarin antibody in African American patients with systemic sclerosis: immunogenetics, clinical features, and survival analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Anti-U3-RNP, or anti-fibrillarin antibodies (AFA), are detected more frequently among African American (AA) patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) compared to other ethnic groups and are associated with distinct clinical features. We examined the immunogenetic, clinical, and survival correlates of AFA in a large group of AA patients with SSc.

Methods

Overall, 278 AA patients with SSc and 328 unaffected AA controls were enrolled from 3 North American cohorts. Clinical features, autoantibody profile, and HLA class II genotyping were determined. To compare clinical manifestations, relevant clinical features were adjusted for disease duration. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to determine the effect of AFA on survival.

Results

Fifty (18.5%) AA patien

SUBMITTER: Sharif R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3149738 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature