Anti-centromere antibodies
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Anti-centromere antibodies (ACA) occur in CREST syndrome and occasionally in systemic scleroderma. They are very rare in other rheumatic conditions and in healthy persons.
Anti-centromere antibodies are found in approximately 60% of patients with CREST and in 15% of those with scleroderma. The specificity of this test is >98%. Thus, a positive anticentromere antibody finding is strongly indicative of CREST or scleroderma. Anti-centromere antibodies present early in the course of disease is notably predictive of limited cutaneous involvement and a decreased likelihood of interstitial lung disease.[1]
When present in primary biliary cirrhosis, ACA are prognostic of portal hypertension.[2]
[edit] References
- ^ JB Imboden, DB Hellmann, JH Stone. Current Rheumatology Diagnosis & Treatment, Second Edition. McGraw-Hill, 2007.
- ^ Nakamura M, Kondo H, Mori T, et al (2007). "Anti-gp210 and anti-centromere antibodies are different risk factors for the progression of primary biliary cirrhosis". Hepatology 45 (1): 118–27. doi: . PMID 17187436.