Clinical studies on anti SS-A and SS-B antibodies Part 2. Clinical characteristics of anti SS-A antibody in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Anti SS-A antibody was positive in 61 (78%) of 78 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and anti SS-B antibody was positive in 7 (9%) of the patients. Among 50 of the patients there was no significant correlation between the presence of sicca features of Sjogren's syndrome and anti SS-A antibody. In addition, a high incidence of clinical and laboratory data indicating SLE was not found significantly in patients with anti SS-A antibody. In contrast, Raynaud's phenomenon and LE cell phenomenon predominated in 11 patients without anti SS-A antibody. In the majority of the SLE patients, anti SS-A antibody was accompanied with other antibodies against non-histone protein antigens, and this complexity of antibodies might prevent the clarification of the clinical characteristics of anti SS-A antibody in SLE patients