BACKGROUND: Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) are autoantibodies that are specific for proteins in the cytoplasm of neutrophils and monocytes. In the 10 years since their discovery, ANCA have become widely used serological markers for various systemic necrotizing vasculitides, including Wegener's granulomatosis, polyarteritis nodosa, crescentic glomerulonephritis, and Churg-Strauss syndrome. Rheumatic manifestations (such as arthralgia, myalgia, even frank arthritis) are observed frequently in the group of primary vasculitides. In the group of collagen vascular diseases and the various forms of chronic inflammatory arthritis, vasculitis may severely complicate the course of the disease. Since atypical vasculitic diseases are indistingushable from other rheumatic disorders in the initial period of disease, immunological studies must be performed. We conducted this study for obtaining the seroprevalence of ANCA in rheumatic disorders including vasculitides which are common in Korea. METHOD: ANCA was detected with indirect immunofluorescent microscopy of alcohol-fixed granulocytes. RESULTS: Total 185 patients were enrolled in this study. There was no patient having C-ANCA except one patient with Wegener's granulomatosis. Total 5 patients were positive for P-ANCA; 2 of 41 SLE patients, 1 of 22 dermatomyositis/polymyositis patients, 2 of 50 Behcet's disease patients. All 11 patients with Takayasu's meritis were ANCA-negative. These results were similar to those of others. CONCLUSION: ANCA, as a adjunct to other autoantibodies, will be helpful for differential diagnosis of various vasculitides and rheumatic disorders.
Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic* ; Arthralgia ; Arthritis ; Autoantibodies ; Churg-Strauss Syndrome ; Collagen ; Cytoplasm ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Glomerulonephritis ; Granulocytes ; Humans ; Immune System Diseases ; Korea ; Microscopy ; Monocytes ; Myalgia ; Neutrophils ; Polyarteritis Nodosa ; Prevalence* ; Rheumatic Diseases* ; Seroepidemiologic Studies ; Vascular Diseases ; Vasculitis* ; Wegener Granulomatosis