ABSENCE OF ANCA IN MEXICAN PATIENTS WITH TAKAYASUS-ARTERITIS

Antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies (ANCA) were sought in 43 ser a from 39 Mexican patients with typical Takayasu's arteritis (TA), (5 with active and 34 with inactive disease), and in a comparative group comprising 50 sera. Results were negative in all cases. This suggests that ANCA are not a serologic feature in TA per se, even during its ac tive stage. ANCA positivity in TA, when present, may be a non-related phenomenon and probably identifies a subset of patients with atypical forms of TA or a polyangiitis overlap syndrome.