Objective: To assess the prevalence of disease-specific autoantibodies in patients with limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis (lcSSc).
Methods: Sera from 180 patients with lcSSc were analyzed for antinuclear antibody (ANA). Clinical characteristics were compared in the presence or absence of specific autoantibodies.
Results: SSc-specific antibodies were detected in 135 patients (75%). Associations were found between anticentromere antibody and age at lcSSc diagnosis, telangiectasia, reduced creatinine clearance, and selective reduction in DLCO, and between antitopoisomerase-I and pulmonary fibrosis.
Conclusion: The majority of patients with lcSSc belong to distinctive serologic subsets, potentially with prognostic significance.