THE STUDY

Were any of the patients with discrepant staining patterns excluded? The authors have adequately described the status of the patients used in the study but do not comment on exclusion criteria, if any

RESULTS & CONCLUSIONS

Do the various drug treatments alter the ANA patterns? Since a significant number of patients were on some sort of disease modifying drug, the table should indicate the category of drug and the predominant ANA pattern.

Where mixed ANA patterns are observed, sera should be further dluted and IF assys performed to assess the most dominant pattern

Please include representative IF images of other ANA (oANA) pattern. Were these patients on any "disease modifying drug"?

It would be helpful to have RF and Blys/BAFF titers of these patients.