M. Vecchi et al., LONG-TERM OBSERVATION OF THE PERINUCLEAR ANTINEUTROPHIL CYTOPLASMIC ANTIBODY STATUS IN ULCERATIVE-COLITIS PATIENTS, Scandinavian journal of gastroenterology, 33(2), 1998, pp. 170-173
Background: Perinuclear anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (p-ANCA
) have been regarded as a possible immunogenetic marker of ulcerative
colitis. If this were true, the p-ANCA status of a given patient shoul
d be constant over time; however, little information is available on t
his issue. Methods: One hundred and forty-five sera collected from 40
ulcerative colitis patients during a mean follow-up period of 50.6 mon
ths were tested for p-ANCA reactivity by indirect immunofluorescence.
Results: At base line 24 patients (60%) were p-ANCA-positive, with no
relationship to gender distribution, age at diagnosis, disease activit
y, or extension. During follow-up, changes in p-ANCA status occurred i
n 10 patients (25%). P-ANCA positivity during follow-up was associated
with more aggressive forms of disease, whereas p-ANCA negativity was
associated with stable remission. Conclusions: Changes in the p-ANCA s
tatus over time occur in some ulcerative colitis patients. P-ANCA beha
viour is associated with different clinical patterns of disease.