TY - JOUR T1 - Response to: ‘Are autoantibodies to RNA-polymerase III to be incorporated in routine diagnostic laboratory algorithms for systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases?’ by Jan Damoiseaux JF - Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases JO - Ann Rheum Dis SP - e30 LP - e30 DO - 10.1136/annrheumdis-2014-205200 VL - 73 IS - 5 AU - J Fransen AU - J Pope AU - M Baron AU - S Johnson AU - D Khanna AU - M Matucci-Cerinic AU - A Tyndall AU - F van den Hoogen Y1 - 2014/05/01 UR - http://ard.bmj.com/content/73/5/e30.abstract N2 - In his letter, Jan Damoiseaux advocates testing of anti-RNA polymerase III antibodies (ARA), and also other (novel) systemic sclerosis (SSc)-associated antibodies, only for those patients who are really suspected for SSc.1 Damoiseaux argues that there is a necessity to provide clinical information together with the request for testing for rheumatic systemic autoimmune diseases.We very much agree that testing for SSc-associated antibodies should only be requested for those people who really are suspected to have SSc. We feel that a correct request of testing for these autoantibodies is, first and foremost, a responsibility of the requestor, that is, the rheumatologist. However, immunologists and rheumatologists almost certainly can learn from each other in optimising requests for antibody … ER -