ANTI NEUTROPHIL CYTOPLASMIC AUTOANTIBODIES IN UVEITIS

Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies have been detected in patients with some autoimmune and vascular diseases such as Wegner’s granulomatosis, polyarthritis nodosa and systemic lupus erythematosus. Indirect immunofluorescence technique has been employed to detect these autoantibodies. By this method, two general patterns of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies were seen: a cytoplasmic (C-ANCA) and a perinuclear form (P-ANCA). These antibodies have also been observed in uveitis. In this study, the presence of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies in 25 patients with uveitis and its relationship with anatomical location of the autoimmune reaction was evaluated. According to the results, antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies were detected in 16% (4 out of 25) of the patients, all of which were C-ANCA type. The results also showed that there was no significant correlation between the presence of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies and anatomical location of the disease (p=0.65).