Clinical characteristics and course in patients with high titer anti-RNP antibodies.

Abstract

Forty-four patients with high titers of anti-RNP antibodies, without anti-Sm or anti-nDNA antibodies, were studied retrospectively for clinical symptomatology, morbidity and mortality. Seven had died. Eleven had renal disease. Of patients with disease course greater than 7 years, only half had features of overlapping connective tissue diseases. The finding of high titer anti-RNP antibodies without anti-Sm or anti-nDNA did not appear to imply a distinct or unique clinical diagnosis or prognosis.