Objective: To determine autoantibody profiles of patients with Parry-Romberg syndrome (PRS).
Methods: Antinuclear antibodies (ANA) in 14 patients with PRS were studied by indirect immunofluorescence (IIF), immunodiffusion and immunoblotting. Antinative DNA antibodies and rheumatoid factor (RF) were also analyzed.
Results: ANA were positive in 8 patients (57%). The patterns of staining included nucleolar, nuclear speckled and homogeneous. Anticentromere antibodies were observed in 2 and antihistone antibodies in 3 sera. Rheumatoid factor was found in 5 (36%) sera. Antinative DNA or antibodies that precipitated rabbit thymus extract were not found in any patients.
Conclusion: The serologic abnormalities observed in this study suggests that autoimmunity could play a pathogenic role in PRS.