Сatalase antibodies in patients with systemic scleroderma as a diagnostic and prognostic marker of the disease

The study covered 30 apparently healthy individuals and 38 patients with systemic scleroderma. The patients gave their consent to participate in the study in accordance with the World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki in the current (2013) version (ACR/EULAR). The donors and patients had their blood tested for catalase antibodies with immunoenzyme assay and using magnetic sorbents upon hospital admission and before discharge. It was found that the patients with systemic scleroderma had a reduced oxidase activity of catalase as well as elevated catalase antibodies, compared with the controls. We revealed a statistically significant regularity that the concentration of catalase immunoglobulins is associated with activity and course of the disease. To assess the activity of systemic scleroderma we performed a complex evaluation of two parameters: enzymatic activity and catalase antibody levels. It was established that catalase autoantibodies are mostly revealed in patients with high-activity scleroderma, subacute and acute course of the disease, and when the lungs, skin, kidneys, joints and nervous system were involved, which was conclusively confirmed by a correlation analysis. It is especially important that catalase antibodies should be revealed at early stage of the disease development; they are of especial diagnostic importance, and their changes over time may form the basis for assessing efficiency of administered therapy. The changes in biochemical activity of catalase, elevated antibody titers provide additional criteria of diagnosis in systemic scleroderma. Monitoring of these parameters in hospital settings helps to evaluate the effectiveness of administered therapy and adjust its correction, which is confirmed by inclusion of such extracorporal techniques as plasma separation into the combined treatment schedules. Studying biochemical activity of catalase and formation of catalase antibodies expands our understanding of scleroderma development and opens new avenues for research.