1 Department of Pediatrics, University of Southern California School of Medicine, and Division of Rheumatology and Rehabilitation, Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
Seven of 21 children with focal scleroderma were found to have RF (anti-gamma-globulins) in their serum compared with none of 23 control children. Two of the RF-positive children had suggestive evidence of arthritis associated with focal scleroderma. The highest titers of rheumatoid factor were associated with the most severe lesions suggesting a possible relationship of RF to severity of disease.