Hypergammaglobulinaemic purpura of Waldenström and Ro/SSA autoantibodies.

Seven out of nine patients (78%), seen over a 13-year period with hypergammaglobulinaemic purpura of Waldenström were found to have antibodies to Ro/SSA. Over this period we saw 175 patients who had antibodies to Ro/SSA. In six of the seven patients, associated diseases were recognized. Five had Sjögren's syndrome, and one had systemic lupus erythematosus with Sjögren's syndrome and thyroiditis (and died 19 years after initial presentation from cerebral infarction). Screening for antibodies to Ro/SSA is important in the diagnosis of patients with hypergamma-globulinaemic purpura, and is helpful in predicting prognosis.