Brugier J C, Touchard G, Lê Thi Huong D u, Lebranchu Y, Preud'homme J L
CNRS UA 1172, CHUR La Milétrie, Poitiers.
Presse Med. 1989 Feb 11;18(5):225-6.
Autoantibodies to the cytoplasmic components of neutrophil polymorphonuclear granulocytes (ACPA) were searched for by indirect immunofluorescence on ethanol-fixed smears from normal white blood cells in 248 sera from patients with Wegener's granulomatosis, Kawasaki disease and various other vasculitides, connective tissue diseases, nephropathies and infiltrative pulmonary diseases. Apart from a weak positivity in a few Kawasaki disease sera, ACPA were found in Wegener's granulomatosis (and micropolyarteritis) only, with a correlation between ACPA titers and disease activity. These results confirm the value of ACPA in the diagnosis and evaluation of activity of Wegener's granulomatosis.