Analysis of the impact of sex and age on the variation in the prevalence of antinuclear autoantibodies in Polish population: a nationwide observational, cross-sectional study

The detection of antinuclear autoantibody (ANA) is dependent on many factors and varies between the populations. The aim of the study was first to assess the prevalence of ANA in the Polish adult population depending on age, sex and the cutoff threshold used for the results obtained. Second, we estimated the occurrence of individual types of ANA-staining patterns. We tested 1731 patient samples using commercially available IIFA using two cutoff thresholds of 1:100 and 1:160. We found ANA in 260 participants (15.0%), but the percentage of positive results strongly depended on the cutoff level. For a cutoff threshold 1:100, the positive population was 19.5% and for the 1:160 cutoff threshold, it was 11.7%. The most prevalent ANA-staining pattern was AC-2 Dense Fine speckled (50%), followed by AC-21 Reticular/AMA (14.38%) ANA more common in women (72%); 64% of ANA-positive patients were over 50 years of age. ANA prevalence in the Polish population is at a level observed in other highly developed countries and is more prevalent in women and elderly individuals. To reduce the number of positive results released, we suggest that Polish laboratories should set 1:160 as the cutoff threshold

Histograms of selected EEG maps sequences

The aim of the study was analysis of histograms of selected sequences of EEG maps to assess variability of isopotential areas. In clinical practice this variability is evaluated using visual inspection that is subjective and may be difficult in revealing of subtle differences. Variability of isopotential areas is manifested by changes of isopotential areas as well as changes of their topolocalisation. The histograms of total map areas include the information concerning the ispotential area variability, while histogram analysis of particular areas of map may be useful for evaluation of variability of isopotential areas configuration. Basing on the examples containing the period before, during and after generalized seizure activity, the variability of constellations of isopotential areas in EEG maps and related to that diversity of their histogram types were presented. The work includes examples of series of EEG map histograms with their statistical analysis and the description of method used for the quantitative assessment of the histogram series variability for the maps sequences containing seizure activity