CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS ASSOCIATED WITH ANTIHISTONE ANTIBODIES IN PATIENTS WITH LOCALIZED SCLERODERMA

Background: Recently we demonstrated the presence of antihistone antib odies (AHA) in localized scleroderma. Objective: Our purpose was to de termine clinical characteristics associated with AHA in patients with localized scleroderma. Methods: We examined 57 serum samples by an enz yme-linked immunosorbent assay in the following three subgroups: 15 pa tients with generalized morphea, 27 with linear scleroderma, and 15 wi th morphea. We classified the patients as having generalized morphea w hen they had four or more lesions on at least two areas of the body, i rrespective of whether the lesions were of morphea or linear type. Res ults: AHA were detected in 42% of patients with localized scleroderma (24 of 57), and in 87% of patients with generalized morphea (13 of 15) . The presence of AHA strongly correlated with the number of morphea l esions, the total number of lesions, and the number of involved areas of the body. However, AHA did not correlate with the presence or numbe r of linear lesions. The presence of AHA showed a 87% sensitivity (13 of 15 patients) and a 74% specificity (31 of 42 patients) for generali zed morphea. Conclusion: Our data suggest that AHA are a serologic mar ker for generalized morphea and that the validity of our new classific ation for generalized morphea is supported by the high frequency of AH A detection.