Document 0471
 DOCN  M9460471
 TI    The absence of antibodies to malaria and human immunodeficiency virus,
       and the presence of hepatitis B surface antigen as diagnostic markers of
       rheumatoid arthritis.
 DT    9404
 AU    Adebajo AO; Hazleman BL; Rheumatology Research Unit, Addenbrooke's
       Hospital Cambridge,; United Kingdom.
 SO    Clin Rheumatol. 1993 Dec;12(4):467-70. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE
       MED/94170582
 AB    Rheumatoid factor is of limited value in the diagnosis of rheumatoid
       arthritis (RA) in West Africa. Consequent upon previous findings, we
       have studied the role of the absence of antibodies to malaria and human
       immunodeficiency virus (HIV) as well as the presence of the hepatitis B
       surface antigen (HBsAg) as diagnostic markers of rheumatoid arthritis in
       West Africa. We have found a significant association (p < 0.001) between
       RA and titre of HBsAg, but only between RA and malaria (p < 0.05) when
       sera with low malaria antibodies were studied. No correlation between
       either HBsAg or malaria and rheumatoid factor was found and no RA
       patient was either HIV-1 or HIV-2 positive.
 DE    Adolescence  Adult  Aged  Aged, 80 and over  Animal  Antibodies,
       Protozoan/*BLOOD  Arthritis, Rheumatoid/BLOOD/*IMMUNOLOGY  Biological
       Markers/*BLOOD  Female  Hepatitis B Surface Antigens/*BLOOD  Human  HIV
       Antibodies/*BLOOD  Male  Middle Age  Plasmodium falciparum/*IMMUNOLOGY
       Rheumatoid Factor/BLOOD  JOURNAL ARTICLE

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