The Clinical Utility of Autoantibodies in Patients with Idiopathic Granulomatous Mastitis

Background: Although the etiopathogenesis of idiopathic granulomatous mastitis (IGM) is still controversial, recently autoimmunity and immune dysregulation have been emphasized. The aim of this study is to investigate the clinical utility of autoantibodies in IGM. Material and Methods: Rheumatoid factor (RF), antinuclear antibody (ANA), anti-double stranded DNA antibody (anti-ds-DNA), anti-cyclic citrullinated peptides antibody (anti-CCP) and perinuclear anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (pANCA) levels were investigated in pathologically diagnosed IGM patients (Group IGM) and healthy women (Group C). IGM patients were divided into two groups as those with active symptoms and signs (Group IGMA) and those without clinical and radiological findings (Group IGMR). Results: While, in Group IGM, the positivity of RF, ANA, anti-ds-DNA, pANCA and anti-CCP was 13.1%, 3.3%, 1.6%, 0%, and 3.3%, respectively, in Group C, they were 13.3%, 0%, 0%, 0%, and 0%, respectively. The differences were not statistically significant (p >.05). In Groups IGMA, IGMR and C, RF positivity was 10%, 16.1%, and 13.3%, respectively. The ANA positivity of Groups IGMA, IGMR and C was 0%, 6.5%, and 0%, respectively. Groups IGMA, IGMR and C’s anti-ds-DNA positivity were 0%, 3.2%, and 0%, respectively. In all groups, pANCA was negative. The anti-CCP positivity of Groups IGMA, IGMR and C was 6.7%, 0%, and 0%, respectively. Conclusion: Our findings did not support the clinical utility of autoantibodies including RF, ANA, anti-ds-DNA, pANCA and anti-CCP in IGM.