Dense fine speckled immunofluorescence pattern in a Chinese population: Prevalence and clinical association. Issue 2 (24th December 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhang, Keyi; Su, Zhenzhen; Hu, Jing; Huang, Zhuochun; Hu, Chaojun; Yang, Bin
• Is Part Of: Journal of clinical laboratory analysis. Volume 36:Issue 2(2022)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2021-12-24
• Subjects: dense fine speckled pattern -- exclusion criterion -- systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases; Diagnosis, Laboratory -- Periodicals; Medical laboratory technology -- Periodicals; 616
• DOI: 10.1002/jcla.24173
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0887-8013

Abstract

Abstract: Objective: To provide information on the prevalence and possible clinical association in a Chinese population for medical practice of the dense fine speckled pattern (DFS pattern). Methods: A retrospective study was conducted with patients who had the DFS pattern from June 2018 to December 2019 in West China Hospital. Results: A total of 469 patients (1.27% of patients with positive anti‐nuclear antibody indirect immunofluorescence (ANA IIF) test results) revealed the DFS pattern, of which 92.96% had isolated DFS pattern and 23.67% had titers above/equal to 1:320. The average age of patients with the DFS pattern was 43.45 years, and females accounted for 76.97% of them. Ten different kinds of diseases made up the vast majority of the disease spectrum, in which inflammatory or infectious diseases (46.11%), mental diseases (21.45%), and systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARDs) (18.23%) ranked in the top three. The most common SARDs were rheumatoid arthritis (RA), undifferentiated connective tissue disease (UCTD), and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Forty‐six patients (10.55%) had positive or suspicious extractable nuclear antigen (ENA) antibodies test results and a higher risk of suffering from SARDs. Forty‐seven patients would be missed if the DFS pattern with negative ENA antibodies test result was considered as exclusion criterion of SARDs. Conclusions: The DFS pattern is basically isolated and with low titer. It is unwise to exclude the diagnosis of SARDs only depending on the appearance of the DFS pattern. Autoimmune diseases‐related antibodies, clinical information of patients, and long‐term follow‐up are of great importance to avoid missed or delayed diagnosis of SARDs. Abstract : We found out if the dense fine speckled pattern (DFS pattern) was used as exclusion biomarker of systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARDs), 68 patients would be missed. Not all SARDs patients had titers above/equal to 1:320 or positive/suspicious extractable nuclear antigen (ENA) antibodies test results. In fact, if lower DFS pattern titers (below 1:320) or DFS patterns with negative ENA antibodies test results were considered as exclusion criteria of SARDs, 36 or 47 patients would be missed. It is unwise to exclude the diagnosis of SARDs only depending on the appearance of the DFS pattern. Autoimmune diseases‐related antibodies, clinical information of patients, and long‐term follow‐up are of great importance to avoid missed or delayed diagnosis of SARDs.