Immunological studies in childhood scleroderma.

The results of immunological studies on 13 children suffering from scleroderma are reported. Antinuclear antibodies with speckled pattern of fluorescence could be found in systemic sclerosis and in 3 patients with scleroderma en bandes. The same patients (except but one with PSS) demonstrated high levels of DNA antibodies. The 2 patients with PSS were found to have a very low percentage of T cells, whereas the percentage of B cells was increased. The results demonstrate the significance of autoimmunity not only in systemic sclerosis but also in focal scleroderma. Beyond this it can be presumed that immune deficiency (with a defect in cellular immunity) may be the predisposing cause of at least progressive systemic sclerosis.