Correlation between B-cell epitope profile and clinical features of anti-MDA5 antibody-positive dermatomyositis
Authors' conclusion
Various clinical features of MDA5+ dermatomyositis correlated with levels of antibodies targeting selected subfragments of this autoantigen, providing a link between fragment-specific immune responses and disease course.
Study context
- Population
- MDA5+ dermatomyositis patients
- Participants
- 24 patients
- Outcome
- Correlation between anti-MDA5 subfragment antibody titres and clinical features
Methodological detailsELISA-based, Spearman's rank correlation
- ELISA-based
- Spearman's rank correlation
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- Female patients had higher titres of antibodies recognising fragment H (aa 905-1026) than male patients
- Muscle involvement associated with higher anti-fragment F (aa 646-801) antibody levels
- Vascular abnormalities associated with higher anti-fragment B (aa 130-284) and E (aa 517-671) antibody titres
- 4 patients who died due to interstitial lung disease (ILD) progression had higher anti-fragment A (aa 1-155) titres than the other 20
- Differences in ratio of anti-fragment to anti-full-length MDA5 titres for sex (H: anti-MDA5) and vascular dysfunction (anti-fragment B, E: anti-MDA5)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Clinical features
- Muscle symptoms (n)
- 11
- Vascular dysfunction (n)
- 9
- ILD (n)
- 16
- Time from initial visit to serum sample, median days (IQR 0-74)
- 0
Original publication
Correlation between B-cell epitope profile and clinical features of anti-MDA5 antibody-positive dermatomyositis. Rheumatology (Oxford). Published 10 October 2023. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →