Antinucleosome antibodies and primary antiphospholipid syndrome: an observational study.

OBJECTIVE

To study the association of anti-nucleosome (anti-NCS) antibodies in primary antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) and the development of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) during follow-up.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Thirty-six women with primary APS were evaluated prospectively for clinical features of systemic autoimmune diseases and for the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies, antinuclear antibodies and anti-NCS/chromatin antibodies.

RESULTS

After a mean follow-up period of 45.7 months, anti-NCS/chromatin antibodies were detected in only one patient (2.8%), who developed features of SLE including polyarthritis, lymphopenia, optic neuritis, multiple sclerosis-like lesions, and an autoantibody profile suggestive of SLE.

CONCLUSION

The frequency of anti-NCS/chromatin antibodies in primary APS patients is very low, and they may be associated with the development of SLE manifestations.