Clinical Characteristics and Concordance of Anti‐ MDA5 Antibodies: A Multicenter Australian Study
Authors' conclusion
Higher anti-MDA5 signal intensity on LIA was associated with greater clinical concordance. Pneumomediastinum is common and associated with high mortality.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with positive anti-MDA5 on line immunoblot assay (LIA) from three states in Australia, January 2017 to September 2024108 with complete clinical data
- Participants
- 118 patients
- Exposure
- Clinically concordant vs clinically discordant LIA-positive anti-MDA5 results
- Clinically concordantn = 21
- Outcome
- Clinical concordance of a positive anti-MDA5 LIA result
Methodological detailsmulticentre
- Multicentre
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Clinically concordant positive test
Clinically concordant positive anti-MDA5 test
21 of 108
19.4%
Signal intensity, concordant vs discordant
52 vs 19.5
P < 0.0001
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Clinical features of anti-MDA5 DM
- Median age, years (IQR)
- 65 (48-74)
- Female
- 67%
- ILD
- All 21
- Rapidly progressive ILD (RP-ILD) deceased at time of review
- 7 of 9
- Pneumomediastinum
- 7 of 21 (33%); 6 had RP-ILD, 4 subsequently died
- Myositis
- 8
- Cutaneous features
- 14
- Polyarthritis
- 6
- Myocarditis
- 1
RP-ILD vs no RP-ILD: ferritin and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio
- Ferritin, RP-ILD vs no RP-ILD (μg/L)
- 1,226 vs 262; P < 0.05
- Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio, RP-ILD vs no RP-ILD
- 4.1 vs 2.6; P < 0.05
Original publication
Clinical Characteristics and Concordance of Anti‐ MDA5 Antibodies: A Multicenter Australian Study. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). Published 17 August 2026. doi:10.
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