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ENA are soluble ribonucleoprotein (snurps) complexes. Autoantibodies directed against various ENA have proven to be of value in the diagnosis
and monitoring of various systemic connective tissue diseases. Anti-Sm antibodies are disease specific and thus are a marker for systemic lupus
erythematosus (SLE). Antibodies to Sm occur in approximately 30-40 of SLE patients. They are rare in other systemic connective tissue diseases and if present, indicate either overlap of disease or patients that have not yet fulfilled the ARA criteria for SLE1-9. Other antibodies such as those directed against S
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