Association of Antibody to Histone Complex H2A–H2B with Symptomatic Procainamide-Induced Lupus

Abstract

Antinuclear antibodies develop in most patients who are given prolonged procainamide therapy, but clinical symptoms resembling those of lupus appear in only 15 to 20 percent of such persons. No objective marker for symptomatic procainamide-induced lupus has been described. However, IgG antibodies to the histone complex H2A–H2B have previously been reported in this disorder, and it has been suggested that antiguanosine antibodies may be a marker for major manifestations of procainamide-induced lupus.