Antinuclear factor in rapid and slow acetylator patients treated with isoniazid.

Abstract

It has been observed that tuberculous patients who had been treated with isoniazid exhibited positive antinuclear factor (ANF) tests more commonly than controls (Cannat and Seligmann, 1966). ANF can be considered a forerunner of the drug-induced systemic lupus erythematosus syndrome (AlarconSegovia, 1969). Both isoniazid and hydrallazine have been demonstrated to be polymorphically acetylated in man (Evans, 1968). Perry, Sakamoto, and Tan (1967) and Perry et al (1970) have shown that the development of antinuclear factor in patients who have received treatment for hypertension with hydrallazine is more frequent in slow than in rapid acetylators. In view of the above observations one of us (D.A.P.E.) suggested a survey of tuberculosis patients under treatment for serum ANF, acetylator phenotype, and other possible relevant factors.