AB1367 Diagnostic association between elastin and elastase antibodies with cardiovascular system involvement in systemic scleroderma patients
Authors: I.P. Gontar, O.A. Rusanova, O.I. Emelyanova, L.A. Maslakova, I.A. Zborovskaya
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2018)

<h3>Background</h3> Large amounts of elastin are contained in vascular walls and in the cardiac valves. Elastin and elastase antibodies are predictors, <i>sui generis</i>, of vascular disease development in systemic scleroderma. The mechanism of direct proatherogenic effect of antibodies consists in stimulation of adhesion molecules and cytokine synthesis, oxLDL capture, induction of serine proteinase cascade by the coagulation system. In systemic rheumatoid disease, autoimmune inflammation is nowadays regarded as one of risk factors for the development of early atherosclerosis, disturbance of the structure and elasticity of vascular wall and of related cardiovascular conditions. <h3>Objectives</h3> Studying the effect of elastin and elastase autoantibody production on the cardiovascular system in systemic scleroderma (SSD) patients. <h3>Methods</h3> 42 patients hospitalised at municipal hospital 25 with diagnosis of SSD verified by ;<sup>ARA diagnostic criteria (1980)</sup> the diagnosis was considered firm if the patient showed one major and two minor criteria in any combination, simultaneously or consecutively, regardless of the time of their onset. The systemic scleroderma patients included 11 men and 31 women aged 22–72. The mean age of patients was 44.1±15.4 years. 30 healthy donors from the Volgograd hemotransfusion centre served as controls. Antibodies to elastin and elastase were determined in the blood serum using indirect enzyme immunoassay with magnetocontrolable adsorbents based on polyacrylamide granules according to the original technique by .<sup>Gontar et al (1990)</sup> <h3>Results</h3> SSD patients showed considerable increase in the rate of elastase (52%) and elastin (38%) antibodies formation, in comparison with the controls. The upper normal limit of elastin antibody was within the range of 0.131 optical density units, elastase antibodies – 0.131 optical density units. In SSD patients elastin antibodies amounted to 0.125±0.068 optical density units. The titer of elastase antibodies was 0.143±0.071 optical density units. Healthy individuals did not show any elastin or elastase antibodies. An elevated antibody titer was associated with heart and vessels lesion in 47% of patients with SSD. In 20 patients of the studied group we revealed cardiovascular disease (IHD, macrofocal cardiosclerosis with false infarction changes, chronic cardiac failure, and aorta atherosclerosis). <h3>Conclusions</h3> Among the patients we examined, 47% showed cardiovascular lesion associated with elevated elastin and elastase antibodies. This fact indicates that in systemic rheumatic disease, autoimmune inflammation is a risk factor for the development of early atherosclerosis, and of related cardiovascular conditions. Elastin and elastase antibodies are predictors, <i>sui generis</i>, of the development of vascular disease in patients with SSD. <h3>Disclosure of Interest</h3> None declared