What is anti RNA polymerase?

What is anti RNA polymerase?

Anti-RNA polymerase III antibodies (ARA) are a specific marker for Systemic Sclerosis (SSc), associated to severe disease with major organ and diffuse cutaneous involvement.

What does a positive RNA polymerase mean?

A positive result indicates the presence of measurable IgG antibodies to RNA polymerase III, but does not unequivocally establish the diagnosis of systemic sclerosis or other autoimmune disease.

What is SSc autoimmune disease?

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a chronic autoimmune disease which still poses a great challenge to clinicians. The most prominent feature of SSc is the process of progressive fibrosis resulting from the excessive deposition of extracellular matrix components in different tissues and organs.

What is anti RNP blood test?

The anti-RNP test usually involves ELISA for the quantitative measurement of immunoglobulin G (IgG) class autoantibodies. While the detection of anti-RNP antibodies is consistent with MCTD, it is not diagnostic; a patient may have high levels of anti-RNP and present with no clinical signs of disease.

What are symptoms of SSc?

Bone and muscle symptoms of SSc include pain, stiffness and swelling of fingers and joints, numbness and pain in the feet, and joint contractures. Joint mobility, especially of the small joints of the hand, may be restricted because of calcinosis or skin thickening.

What are anti RNA polymerase III ( Ara ) antibodies?

Anti-RNA polymerase III antibodies (ARA) are a specific marker for Systemic Sclerosis (SSc), associated to severe disease with major organ and diffuse cutaneous involvement.

How are anti RNA polymerase III antibodies used in SSC?

The detection of anti-RNAP III antibodies is useful in the diagnosis of SSc and for the identification of patients at risk for developing progressive skin thickening and renal crisis. The prevalence of IgG RNAP III antibodies is from 3 – 58% in SSc patients.

What does a positive IgG result for RNA polymerase III mean?

A positive result indicates the presence of measurable IgG antibodies to RNA polymerase III, but does not unequivocally establish the diagnosis of systemic sclerosis or other autoimmune disease. The level of RNA polymerase III autoantibodies does not indicate the severity of disease in patients with systemic sclerosis.

Is there a link between RNA polymerase III and scleroderma?

This autoantibody is strongly associated with diffuse cutaneous scleroderma and with an increased risk of acute renal crisis. A negative result indicates no detectable IgG antibodies to RNA polymerase III, but does not rule out the possibility of systemic sclerosis (11%-23% sensitivity). (1,4)