[Antinuclear antibodies of undetermined significance and the risk of progression to immune-mediated inflammatory diseases: An update].

Abstract

Antinuclear antibodies (ANAs) are key biological markers of autoimmunity which can appear many years before the onset of confirmed immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs). However, the high prevalence of ANAs in the general population, particularly among women and older adults, contrasts with the low prevalence of IMIDs. While most individuals with ANAs do not develop IMIDs, they can nevertheless occur, typically within months or years of ANAs detection. Identifying individuals at risk of IMIDs would optimize clinically meaningful follow-up for early diagnosis and improve our understanding of the preclinical phase of IMIDs. This review aims to summarize knowledge regarding the clinical significance of ANAs detected in the absence of formally defined IMIDs.