Anticytoplasmic antibodies in antinuclear antibody-negative lupus erythematosus. Correlation with clinical course.

A patient with clinical manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and without antinuclear antibodies was found to have anticytoplasmic antibodies. These anticytoplasmic antibodies were directed against ribosomal ribonucleoprotein, and the titer of anticytoplasmic and anti-ribosomal ribonucleoprotein antibodies correlated with the clinical course of the patient's illness. The importance of detecting anticytoplasmic antibodies and their role in producing disease in patients with SLE is discussed.