Autoantibodies and self-reported health complaints in relatives of systemic lupus erythematosus patients: a community based approach

First-degree relatives (FDRs) and spouses to a population-derived cohort of lupus patients were investigated for the occurrence of selected autoantibodies and self-reported health complaints. A healthy reference population was included. The lupus population consisted of 103 index cases. A total of 275/375 available relatives accepted to enter the study. Two hundred and twenty-six/315 (72%) were FDRs and 49/60 (82%) were spouses. Serum was analysed for ANA using indirect immunofluorescence on Hep-2 cells at the following dilutions: 1: 40, 1: 80 and 1: 160 and in addition sera were tested for anti-dsDNA, IgM RF, ACA (IgM, IgG), anti-β2 GPI (IgM, IgG) and antibodies to prothrombin. ANA positivity occurred more frequently in FDRs compared with spouses and controls at serum dilution 1: 160 (10 versus 0% and 2.5%, respectively, P = 0.04 and P < 0.01), 1: 80 (24 versus 4% and 5%, respectively, P = 0.003 and P < 0.001) and 1: 40 (31 versus 10% and 10%, respectively, P = 0.006 and P < 0.0001). ANA positivity in FDRs occurred randomly, irrespective of family relationship. Fifty-three/184 versus 2/32 FDRs to patients with definite SLE (D-SLE) and incomplete SLE (I-SLE), respectively, tested ANA positive at 1: 80 (P < 0.05). FDRs with ANA titer at 80 were affiliated to lupus probands with high SLICC scores (P < 0.05). Self-reported health complaints, cardiovascular/thromboembolic events in particular, were more frequent among FDRs than in spouses. The population-based approach adopted in the present study supports previous clinic-based evidence of an increased propensity for autoantibody occurrence in relatives to SLE patients. In FDRs, present ANA positivity was associated with increased prevalence of health complaints and ANA positivity in FDRs was related to the criterial burden and cumulated damage in corresponding lupus probands. The low ANA frequency among spouses of SLE patients argues against a significant autoantibody triggering effect of shared environment in adult life.