To investigate the association of anti-CD146 autoantibodies with systemic sclerosis and occupational exposure, particularly to crystalline silica, focusing on the prevalence and implications of these autoantibodies.
Key Findings:
15% of systemic sclerosis patients tested positive for anti-CD146 autoantibodies (n = 14/93) compared to 5% of healthy controls (n = 2/40).
Anti-CD146 positivity was linked to male sex and occupational exposure, primarily to crystalline silica.
The antibody showed 57% sensitivity and 88% specificity for occupational exposure.
29% of antibody-positive patients had silica exposure (n = 4/14) versus 4% of antibody-negative patients (n = 3/79).
Interstitial lung disease was more frequent in antibody-positive workers (31% vs 0%).
Interpretation:
Anti-CD146 autoantibodies may serve as a novel biologic marker for systemic sclerosis associated with occupational silica exposure, providing significant insights into the disease's pathogenesis.
Limitations:
The retrospective design limits temporal inference and may affect the reliability of the findings.
The limited control sample size restricts the generalizability of the results.
Further prospective studies are needed to validate these findings.
Conclusion:
AACD146 is a promising diagnostic tool for systemic sclerosis in the context of occupational disease, potentially influencing clinical management and understanding of the disease.
