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.
Acknowledgments
We thank Andrea Seaman (Inova Diagnostics) for technical assistance and Werfen Germany for support in the organization of the study.
Author contributions: All the authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this submitted manuscript and approved submission.
Research funding: X. Bossuyt received consultant fees from Inova Diagnostics.
Employment or leadership: R. Albesa, M. Mahler, Y. Baus, S. Lutterbeck and S. Casas are employed at Inova Diagnostics selling autoantibody assays.
Honorarium: None declared.
Competing interests: The funding organization(s) played no role in the study design; in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; or in the decision to submit the report for publication.
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