Journal article

Publication year: 2019

Pages: 999-1005

Journal: Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine

Volume number: 57

Issue number: 7

ISSN: 1434-6621

eISSN: 1437-4331

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.1515/cclm-2018-1233

Publisher: De Gruyter

Abstract: 

Background: Isolated antibodies to DFS70 have been described in healthy individuals and are rarely found in patients with antinuclear antibody-associated autoimmune rheumatic diseases (AARD). However, no data is available on geographic differences in the prevalence of anti-DFS70 antibodies. We aimed to study the prevalence of anti-DFS70 antibodies in blood donor samples from several countries representing various ethnical backgrounds and geographic regions in the world.

Methods: Sera from apparently healthy blood donors (n >= 300 per site) were collected in seven countries (USA, Italy, Spain, Germany, UK, Belgium and Brazil). All samples (n=2628) were tested for anti-DFS70 antibodies by QUANTA Flash DFS70 (Inova Diagnostics, Inc., San Diego, CA, USA).

Results: The prevalence of anti-DFS70 antibodies varied from 4/321 (1.2%, Italy) to 42/497 (8.5%, USA). Consequently, the prevalence of the antibodies was significantly higher in USA compared to all other countries (p <0.05). In addition, the prevalence in the combined cohort (all sites) was higher in young blood donors (<35 years; 5.0% vs. 2.7%; p = 0.0017) and among females (4.5% vs. 3.0%; p = 0.0446). However, when cohorts from different countries were corrected for age and gender, no significant difference between the countries were found.

Conclusions: This is the first study to analyze the prevalence of anti-DFS70 antibodies in different geographic areas using a standardized assay. Our findings show that the antibodies are most prevalent in young females.

Harvard Citation style: Albesa, R., Sachs, U., Infantino, M., Manfredi, M., Benucci, M., Baus, Y., et al. (2019) Increased prevalence of anti-DFS70 antibodies in young females: experience from a large international multi-center study on blood donors, Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, 57(7), pp. 999-1005. https://doi.org/10.1515/cclm-2018-1233

APA Citation style: Albesa, R., Sachs, U., Infantino, M., Manfredi, M., Benucci, M., Baus, Y., Lutterbeck, S., Andrade, L., Morris, K., Friedenberg, A., Casas, S., Bossuyt, X., & Mahler, M. (2019). Increased prevalence of anti-DFS70 antibodies in young females: experience from a large international multi-center study on blood donors. Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine. 57(7), 999-1005. https://doi.org/10.1515/cclm-2018-1233