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Systemic rheumatic disease is characterized by the presence of circulating autoantibodies that are widely reactive with both nuclear and cytoplasmic antigens. Antibodies to Sm (Smith) antigen are present in 25-40 of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and are considered to be highly specific markers for this disease.1 Antibodies to Sm/RNP are detected in up to 40 of patients with SLE.1,2 High titers of anti-RNP, in the absence of other autoantibodies, are correlated with mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD).3 Antibodies to SSA (Ro) are present in approximately 60 to 70 of patien
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