Ein neuer Antikörper für die Frühdiagnose der Spondarthritiden

Abstract

Spondarthropathies are most often diagnosed on the basis of clinical and radiological symptoms. Since the currently available laboratory diagnostic tests have been unable to make a significant contribution to the diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis and other spondarthropathies, our research group developed at the end of the 70s a new serodiagnostic test system. This test is based on polytene chromosomes from Drosophila melanogaster, and shows a specific immunofluorescence pattern with sera of patients with ankylosing spondylitis. This immunofluorescence pattern is a relevant indicator for a possible autoimmune background of spondarthropathies. From the early 90s onwards, more than 1100 patients with different rheumatic diseases have been examined using a newly developed ELISA test system which employs a recombinant 28 kDA Drosophila antigen. This ELISA gives a specificity of approximately 90%, and a sensitivity of approximately 30% for the diagnosis of spondylarthropathy. Thus we have shown, for the first time, a specific laboratory parameter for this group of diseases.