Autoantibodies and autoimmune disease in Jamaica

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the repertoire of autoantibodies found in normal healthy Jamaicans as it relates to the efficacy of laboratory diagnosis of autoimmune disease. Clinical, immunological and genetic features of certain autoimmune diseases as they occur in Jamaicans were also examined. A number of immunological techniques were applied. There was no marked female preponderance of thyroid autoantibodies in the normal population although autoimmune thyroid disease was found predominantly in females. This indicates that gonadal hormones may be important in the development of disease. The low frequency and concentrations in which islet cell autoantibodies occur in Jamaican type 1 diabetics (3.2 percent) supports a non-pathogenetic role for these antibodies (Chapter 6). The bimodal clinical distribution of myasthenia gravis found elsewhere was not observed in Jamaicans (Chapter 10). There was no female preponderance in the ocurrence of rheumatoid factors. The frequency of certain ARA criteria were statistically significantly lower in Jamaican systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients compared with American patients. Several HLA associations were found with myasthenia gravis, SLE and rheumatoid arthritis although these were mostly weak. The data obtained herein will contribute to the improvement in diagnosis and management of autoimmune diseases in Jamaica and the lack of understanding of the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases