Which laboratory test is associated with scleroderma?

The association of anti-centromere antibodies with scleroderma is significant because these antibodies are often present in patients with the limited form of scleroderma, also known as CREST syndrome (Calcinosis, Raynaud’s phenomenon, Esophageal dysmotility, Sclerodactyly, and Telangiectasia). While other autoantibodies can be seen in various autoimmune conditions, anti-centromere antibodies are particularly indicative of scleroderma and help in distinguishing it from other connective tissue diseases.

Anti-Smith antibodies and anti-dsDNA antibodies are more commonly related to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a different autoimmune disorder. Antinuclear antibodies (ANA) can be present in many autoimmune diseases, including scleroderma, but do not have the specificity that anti-centromere antibodies provide for diagnosing scleroderma specifically. Thus, anti-centromere antibodies are a hallmark of the disease, making them the correct choice in this context.