RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Autoantibodies to Dense Fine Speckles in Pediatric Diseases and Controls JF The Journal of Rheumatology JO J Rheumatol FD The Journal of Rheumatology SP 2419 OP 2426 DO 10.3899/jrheum.150567 VO 42 IS 12 A1 Heinrike Schmeling A1 Michael Mahler A1 Deborah M. Levy A1 Katharine Moore A1 Anne M. Stevens A1 James Wick A1 Jacob D. McMillan A1 Gerd Horneff A1 Shervin Assassi A1 Julio Charles A1 Gloria Salazar A1 Maureen D. Mayes A1 Earl D. Silverman A1 Marissa Klien-Gitelman A1 Tzelan Lee A1 Hermine I. Brunner A1 Ann M. Reed A1 Marvin J. Fritzler YR 2015 UL http://www.jrheum.org/content/42/12/2419.abstract AB Objective. Autoantibodies to the dense fine speckled 70 kDa antigen (DFS70) are reported to be more common in individuals who do not have an antinuclear antibody (ANA)-associated rheumatic disease (AARD) than in patients with AARD. The frequency of anti-DFS70 antibodies has been thoroughly studied in adult but not in pediatric populations. The primary objective of this observational study was to determine the frequency of anti-DFS70 in pediatric AARD and reference cohorts.Methods. Sera from 743 children with AARD and related conditions, and 345 samples from reference cohorts (healthy children and those being investigated for AARD) were studied for anti-DFS70 autoantibodies as measured by a chemiluminescence immunoassay. A de-identified administrative database was used to retrieve demographic, serologic, and clinical data.Results. Anti-DFS70 antibodies were seen in 2.1% of healthy children and in 4.5% of sera from pediatric individuals referred for ANA testing. The frequency of anti-DFS70 was highest in juvenile localized scleroderma (LS; 4/29, 13.8%), juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM; 2/11, 18.2%), childhood systemic lupus erythematosus (cSLE; 19/331, 5.7%), diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis (1/22, 4.5%), celiac disease (2/49, 4.1%), and juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA; 5/202, 2.5%). Of note, anti-DFS70 antibodies were observed in 3/26 children (11.5%) with uveitis and JIA-associated uveitis.Conclusion. The frequency of anti-DFS70 autoantibodies in healthy pediatric subjects is within the lower range of that reported in adults. Anti-DFS70 antibodies can be found in childhood SSc and cSLE, but has a remarkably high frequency in children with LS, JDM, and uveitis.