Clinical evaluation of anti-aminoacyl tRNA synthetase antibodies in Japanese patients with dermatomyositis.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To investigate the distribution of anti-aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase (anti-ARS) antibodies among patients with autoimmune diseases, and to analyze the clinical features of patients with dermatomyositis (DM) with anti-ARS antibodies.

METHODS:

Serum samples from 315 patients with autoimmune diseases or related disorders who had visited Kanazawa University Hospital or affiliated facilities were assessed for anti-ARS antibodies by immunoprecipitation. In particular, the association between anti-ARS antibodies and clinical features was investigated in detail in patients with DM.

RESULTS:

Anti-ARS antibody was positive in 16 (29%) of 55 patients with DM, 2 (22%) of 9 patients with polymyositis, and 7 (25%) of 28 patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Although anti-ARS antibody was detected with high frequency (63%, 15/24) in DM patients with interstitital lung disease (ILD), the incidence of anti-ARS antibody was very low (3%, 1/31) in DM patients without ILD. Anti-ARS antibody-positive patients with DM had significantly higher incidences of ILD (94% vs 23%) and fever (64% vs 10%) than the antibody-negative patients. Some immunosuppressive agents, in addition to oral corticosteroids, were required more frequently in the antibody-positive patients with DM than the antibody-negative patients (88% vs 26%). Although 60% of DM patients with ILD simultaneously developed ILD and myositis, ILD preceded myositis in 33% of patients.

CONCLUSION:

Among patients with DM, anti-ARS antibodies are found in a subset with ILD. DM patients with anti-ARS antibodies appear to have a more persistent disease course that requires additional therapy compared to those without anti-ARS antibodies.

• Authors: Takashi Matsushita, Minoru Hasegawa, Manabu Fujimoto, Yasuhito Hamaguchi, Kazuhiro Komura, Takashi Hirano, Mayuka Horikawa, Miki Kondo, Hidemitsu Orito, Kenzo Kaji, Yuki Saito, Yukiyo Matsushita, Shigeru Kawara, Masahide Yasui, Mariko Seishima, Shoichi Ozaki, Masataka Kuwana, Fumihide Ogawa, Shinichi Sato, Kazuhiko Takehara
• Journal: The Journal of rheumatology (J Rheumatol) Vol. 34 Issue 5 Pg. 1012-8 (May 2007) ISSN: 0315-162X [Print] Canada
• PMID: 17309126 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Multicenter Study)

Chemical References

• Autoantibodies
• Amino Acyl-tRNA Synthetases

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Amino Acyl-tRNA Synthetases (immunology)
• Asian People
• Autoantibodies (blood)
• Autoimmune Diseases (complications, immunology, pathology)
• Dermatomyositis (complications, immunology, pathology)
• Female
• Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect
• Hospitals, University
• Humans
• Lung Diseases, Interstitial (complications, immunology, pathology)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Respiratory Function Tests