[Autoantibody profile in collagen diseases. A clinical-serological study of 250 patients from Tuebingen clinics].

Sera from 250 patients with connective tissue diseases were tested for antinuclear antibodies by immunofluorescence (IFL) and immunodiffusion. In patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE, n = 49), progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS, n = 30) and Sjögren's syndrome (n = 20), IFL showed antinuclear antibodies with a frequency of 70 to 100%. Patients with localized scleroderma (n = 16) and discoid LE (n = 38) had antinuclear antibodies in 31 and 21% of cases, respectively. In patients with vasculitis (n = 32), fluorescent antinuclear antibodies were only rarely detected (0-6%). In the immunodiffusion LE-specific anti-Sm antibodies were demonstrated in 10%, anti-nRNP nRNP antibodies in 20%, and anti-Ro antibodies in 37% of patients with SLE. In Sjögren's syndrome, anti-Ro antibodies were found in 45% and anti-La antibodies in 35% of patients. 57% of patients with PSS had the disease-specific anti-Scl-70 antibody, while only 19% had antinucleolar antibodies as detected by IFL. In patients with localized scleroderma, dermatomyositis (n = 6) or vasculitis, no precipitating antibodies were detectable. The demonstration by immunodiffusion of nuclear antibodies in patients with discoid LE could be connected with a transition to a systemic course of the disease.