1;Preface????????????????????????????;9 2;Author Index??????????????????????????????????????;11 3;1 General aspects of autoimmune diagnostics????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????;13 3.1;1.1 General aspects and clinical features????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????;13 3.2;1.2 Basis????????????????????????????????;13 3.3;1.3 Scope of tests??????????????????????????????????????????????????;15 3.4;1.4 Therapy????????????????????????????????????;16 3.5;1.5 Timing of investigations??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????;17 3.6;1.6 Storage and dispatch??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????;17 4;2 Rheumatoid arthritis??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????;19 4.1;2.1 General aspects and clinical features????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????;19 4.2;2.2 Diagnostic workflow????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????;21 5;3 Systemic lupus erythematosus??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????;53 5.1;3.1 General aspects and clinical features????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????;53 5.2;3.2 Diagnostic workflow????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????;55 5.3;3.3 Properties and diagnostic roles of SLE typical autoantibodies????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????;57 5.4;3.4 Prognostic value of autoantibodies??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????;62 6;4 Consensus protocol for the detection of autoantibodies by indirect immunofluorescence technology on HEp-2 cells????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????;65 6.1;4.1 General aspects and clinical features????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????;65 6.2;4.2 Reagents and test preparation????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????;65 6.3;4.3 Evaluation and interpretation????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????;69 7;5 The antiphospholipid syndrome????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????;75 7.1;5.1 General aspects and clinical features????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????;75 7.2;5.2 Diagnostic measurements????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????;75 7.3;5.3 What tests should be used????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????;76 7.4;5.4 Test systems??????????????????????????????????????????????;76 7.5;5.5 The Lupus anticoagulant????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????;77 7.6;5.6 Recommendations????????????????????????????????????????????????????;77 8;6 Inflammatory myopathies (polymyositis, dermatomyositis)????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????;81 8.1;6.1 General aspects and clinical features????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????;81 8.2;6.2 Diagnostic workflow????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????;83 8.3;6.3 Properties and diagnostic roles of myositis-associated autoantibodies????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????;85 8.4;6.4 Prognostic value of autoantibodies???????????????????????????????