A NOVEL ANTIBODY FOR EARLY DIAGNOSIS OF S PONDARTHROPATHIES

Spondarthropathies are most often diagnosed on the basis of clinical a nd radiological symptoms. Since the currently available laboratory dia gnostic tests have been unable to make a significant contribution to t he diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis and other spondarthropathies, o ur research group developed at the end of the 70 s a new serodiagnosti c test system. This test is based on polytene chromosomes from Drosoph ila melanogaster, and shows a specific immunofluorescence pattern with sera of patients with ankylosing spondylitis. This immunofluorescence pattern is a relevant indicator for a possible autoimmune background of spondarthropathies. From the early 90s onwards, more than 1100 pati ents with different rheumatic diseases have been examined using a newl y developed ELISA test system which employs a recombinant 28 kDA Droso phila antigen. This ELISA gives a specificity of approximately 90%, an d a sensitivity of approximately 30% for the diagnosis of spondylarthr opathy. Thus we have shown, for the first time, a specific laboratory parameter for this group of diseases.