TY - JOUR T1 - Autoantibodies against interleukin 1α in rheumatoid arthritis: association with long term radiographic outcome JF - Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases JO - Ann Rheum Dis SP - 598 LP - 602 DO - 10.1136/ard.61.7.598 VL - 61 IS - 7 AU - N A Graudal AU - M Svenson AU - U Tarp AU - P Garred AU - A-G Jurik AU - K Bendtzen Y1 - 2002/07/01 UR - http://ard.bmj.com/content/61/7/598.abstract N2 - Objectives: To investigate the possible association of interleukin 1α autoantibodies (IL1α aAb) with the long term course of joint erosion in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods: Serum samples from 176 patients with RA included in a prospective study over 30 years were analysed for IL1α aAb by binding to human [125I]IL1α. Erosions of 19 diarthrodial joints were radiographically scored by the Larsen method. Results: The relative risk (RR) of early IL1α aAb positive patients developing at least 30% of maximum radiographic joint destruction was significantly lower than for IL1α aAb negative patients, RR=0.29 (p=0.04). In rheumatoid factor positive patients RR was only 0.18 (p=0.02). Patients who seroconverted more than two years after the onset of RA showed the most aggressive development of joint erosion, with a relative risk of at least 40% of maximum radiographic joint destruction of 2.56 (p=0.048) Conclusions: The progression of radiographic joint destruction in patients with RA is associated with, and perhaps modified by, circulating IL1α aAb, suggesting that IL1α or IL1α aAb, or both, have a role in the erosive processes. IL1α aAb appear to be of prognostic significance in RA. ER -