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Ann Rheum Dis 1997;56:123-125 doi:10.1136/ard.56.2.123
  • Concise reports

Antiperinuclear factors are present in polyarthritis before ACR criteria for rheumatoid arthritis are fulfilled

  1. Jean-Marie Berthelota,
  2. Yves Maugarsa,
  3. Anne Castagnéa,
  4. Marie Audrainb,
  5. Alain Prosta
  1. aHôtel-Dieu, CHU Nantes, BP 1005, 44035 Nantes Cedex 01, France: Service de Rhumatologie, bLaboratoire d’Immunologie
  1. and reprint requests to: Dr J-M Berthelot, Service de Rhumatologie, Hôtel-Dieu, CHU Nantes, BP 1005, 44035 Nantes Cedex 01, France.
  • Accepted 18 November 1996

Abstract

OBJECTIVE To show that antiperinuclear factor (APF) may be useful for the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis at a time when the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria are not yet fulfilled.

METHODS Testing for APF-IgG (1:100 threshold) and rheumatoid factors (RF) was done in 60 patients with polyarthritis of recent onset during a three year follow up.

RESULTS At the end of the study, 21/40 rheumatoid arthritis were positive for RF and 31/40 for APF, including 18/40 cases (45%) in which ACR criteria were not yet fulfilled.

CONCLUSIONS APF are useful in the diagnosis of early rheumatoid arthritis.

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