ANTIRIBOSOMIC ANTIBODIES AND NEUROLOGIC SYMPTOMS IN SYSTEMIC LUPUS-ERYTHEMATOSUS

BACKGROUND: The possible positive correlation between the presence of antiribosomic antibodies and neurologic and neuropsychiatric manifestations in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, cited in the literature, was analyzed. METHODS: Neurological involvement (current or previous) was evaluated in 71 successive patients. The anti-ENA antibodies (extractable nuclear antigens) were studied with special attention to the antiribosomic antibodies by: a) indirect immunofluorescence (IFI) on triple rat substrate, Hep2 and Crithidia luciliae; b) counter immunoelectrophoresis (CIE); c) double immunodifussion (DI), and d) Western blot (WB) in the Molt-4 cell line. The statistical study was performed by the Fisher exact test. RESULTS: Ribosomic dyeing was observed in only 2 patients by IFI on triple rat substrate and HEp2. With CIE and DI, 14 patients (20 %) were anti-ENA positive. Detectable bands were obtained with WB in 47 patients (66 %) with 9 corresponding to antiribosomic antibodies. No statistical differences were found (p > 0.3) in relation with the presence of antirobosomic antibodies in particular and anti-ENA in general, between the groups with and without neurologic involvement. CONCLUSIONs: No relation was observed between antiribosomic antibodies and neurolupus by determinations of anti-ENA antibodies by Western blot (superior method - p < 0.0001 - to indirect immunofluorescence, counter immunoelectrophoresis and double immunodiffusion in the comparative study of sensitivity).