Anti-interferon-α antibodies associate with disease activity and prognosis in anti-MDA5-positive dermatomyositis
Authors' conclusion
A subset of anti-MDA5-DM patients demonstrated positive serum anti-IFN-α antibodies. The significant association of these antibodies with disease activity and prognosis suggests their potential as a clinical biomarker.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with anti-MDA5 dermatomyositis and healthy controls176 patients · 55 controls
- Participants
- 31 / 176 / 55
- Exposure
- Anti-IFN-α antibody-positive vs antibody-negative anti-MDA5-DM patients
- Anti-IFN-α antibody-positiven = 31
- Anti-MDA5-DMn = 176
- Healthy controlsn = 55reference
- Outcome
- Serum anti-IFN-α antibody levels and their clinical associations
Methodological detailsin-house ELISA, immunoblot validation in a subset, longitudinal analysis
- In-house ELISA
- Immunoblot validation in a subset
- Longitudinal analysis
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Prevalence of anti-IFN-α antibodies in anti-MDA5-DM
Anti-IFN-α positive
17.6%
31 events
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
RP-ILD
P = 0.008
Pulmonary infections · fungi, particularly Aspergillus, predominant pathogens
P = 0.005
- Mortality · significantly higher in positive
- Log-rank p = 0.006
Correlation of anti-IFN-α antibody levels with clinical measures
- IgG r
- 0.48 (p < 0.0001)
- ESR r
- 0.28 (p = 0.003)
- Ferritin r
- 0.16 (p = 0.03)
- Lung VAS r
- 0.24 (p = 0.01)
- PhGA VAS r
- 0.28 (p = 0.002)
Longitudinal changes in antibody levels paralleling disease activity
- Skin VAS
- P = 0.015
- Lung VAS
- P = 0.005
- PhGA VAS
- P = 0.004
- Increased levels from baseline in treatment-aggravated cases
- P = 0.017
- Decreased levels in remission cases
- P = 0.004
Original publication
Anti-interferon-α antibodies associate with disease activity and prognosis in anti-MDA5-positive dermatomyositis. Arthritis Res Ther. Published 2 July 2025. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →