Specificity, sensitivity and diagnostic predictive value of selected laboratory generated autoantibody profiles in patients with connective tissue diseases.

Abstract

We tested the hypothesis that the application of 5 laboratory generated serologic profiles facilitates the interpretation of individual autoantibodies in connective tissue diseases without loss of specificity, sensitivity or diagnostic predictive value. The predetermined laboratory generated autoantibody profiles were analyzed in 423 sera from patients with clinically diagnosed connective tissue diseases. All sera positive for one or more autoantibodies to a selected panel of nuclear antigens could be segregated into one of 5 profiles. The distribution of individual autoantibodies and profiles in the sera of patients with various connective tissue diseases were compared in terms of their respective diagnostic predictive value and sensitivity. The application of these profiles improved the sensitivity and diagnostic predictive value of these tests when compared to individual autoantibodies without loss of specificity, thus aiding clinical interpretation.