Long-term follow-up of autoantibody profiles in black female lupus patients and clinical comparison with Caucasian and Asian patients

The aim was to determine whether the autoantibody profile in Black femalelupus patients is associated with clinical subsets, fluctuates over timeand/or reflects disease activity. A clinical comparison with Caucasian andAsian patients matched for age of onset and disease duration was alsoundertaken. Up to seven serial bleeds from Black female lupus patients whohad been followed up for periods of 3.15 yr were tested for antibodies toRo/SSA, La SSB. Sm, RNP and ribosomal P using ELISA research assays.Significant differences in both clinical and serological profiles betweenthe ethnic groups were found. Varying aspects of disease activity werelinked to anti-DNA (renal, cardiovascular, global score), anti-ribosomal P(musculoskeletal, haematology) and anti-Sm (general) antibodies. There aredifferences in clinical and serological profiles amongst systemic lupuserythematosus patients of different ethnic origin. However, using the BILAGsystem, relatively few antibodies were found to reflect disease activityaccurately in serial measurements.