ANTIBODIES TO CENTROMERE AND CENTRIOLE IN SCLERODERMA SPECTRUM DISORDERS

The importance of early detection of scleroderma spectrum disorders (S SD) has been emphasized. We determined the clinical distribution of an ticentromere antibody (ACA) and anticentriole antibody in the followin g four groups: (1) 264 patients with SSD, including 193 with systemic sclerosis, 29 with mixed connective tissue disease and 42 with suspect ed secondary Raynaud's phenomenon (RP); (2) 26 patients with primary R P; (3) 248 patients with other connective tissue diseases, and (4) 139 patients with other skin diseases. The frequency of ACA was significa ntly higher in SSD (78/264, 30%) than in the other groups. In patients with SSD, the incidence of ACA in suspected secondary RP (28/42, 67%) was similar to that in type I systemic sclerosis (24/36, 67%). Antice ntriole antibody was detected in only 1 patient with suspected seconda ry RP (0.4%) out of the 264 SSD patients. These data indicate that ant icentriole antibody is very rare and that the antibodies against mitos is-related antigens such as centromere and centriole are associated wi th early SSD.