© 2002 Journal of Clinical Pathology
ECHO
Systemic autoimmunity and atherosclerosis
Atherosclerosis and a high titre of antinuclear antibodies (ANA) are linked, concludes a recent study. Humoral immunity is implicated in inflammatory processes leading to atherosclerosis in mice, and autoantibodies to atheroma components have been shown in humans. This, however, is the first study of systemic autoimmunity and atherosclerosis in humans.
|
Grainger and Bethell screened for serum ANA—a marker of systemic autoimmunity—with an indirect immunofluorescent antibody test with HEp 2000 cells used in screening for autoimmune diseases. They compared 40 consecutive patients (aged 53–76) with advanced atherosclerosis (
50 % blockage in three coronary arteries) confirmed by coronary angiography and 30 patients (48–74) with no plaques. Neither patients nor immediate (first degree) relatives had an autoimmune disease.
ANA were detected in nearly three quarters of patients with atherosclerosis
CiteULike 
Complore 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us 
Digg 
Reddit 
Technorati What's this?
- Full Text
- Full Text (PDF)
- Submit a response
- Alert me when this article is cited
- Alert me when eLetters are posted
- Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
- Email this link to a friend
- Similar articles in this journal
- Add article to my folders
- Download to citation manager
- Request Permissions
Citing Articles
Google Scholar
Bookmark with
Register for free content
The full back archive is now available for all BMJ Journals. Institutional subscribers may access the entire archive as part of their subscription. Personal subscribers will also have access to all content when logged in. Non-subscribers who register have free access to all articles published before 2006 right back to volume 1 issue 1. Register here to access the free archive of all BMJ Journals.
Don't forget to sign up for content alerts so you keep up to date with all the articles as they are published.
