The indirect fluorescent-antibody (IFA) method for diagnosis of toxoplasmosis is widely used and is considered to be as specific as the Sabin-Feldman dye test. After observing a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who had a positive toxoplasma IFA test but a negative dye test, we studied sera with high titers of antinuclear antibodies from 16 SLE patients and from 2 with rheumatoid ...

Introduction: Adalimumab is a fully human monoclonal anti-TNF-α antibody used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis. Other available TNF-α inhibitors, such as infliximab (chimeric monoclonal antibody) and etanercept (soluble anti-TNF-α receptor), can induce the synthesis of autoantibodies and even cause drug-induced lupus. Anti-cyclic citrullin...

The antinuclear antibodies (ANA) test has been a cornerstone of the evaluation of connective tissue disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the diagnostic value of the ANA test in pleural or pericardial effusions of unknown causes. Over a 3-yr period, a total of 126 pleural fluid and 30 pericardial fluid samples were analysed. ANA tests were performed using a commercially available ki...

This study reports on a group of 20 patients with an initial diagnosis of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) whose serum tested negative for antimitochondrial antibodies by immunofluorescence. All had a clinical history compatible with primary biliary cirrhosis, and results of biochemical, histological, and radiological investigations were consistent with this diagnosis despite the absence of anti...

graves’ disease is an autoimmune disorder characterized by presence of antibodies directed against thyroid stimulating hormone (tsh) receptor or nearby region. other serological abnormalities like antibodies to double stranded dna (ds–dna) and antinuclear antibodies (ana) have also been observed. we studied antibodies to ds-dna and ana in our patients with graves’ disease and compared them with...