Which autoimmune condition is related to antihistone antibodies?

Antihistone antibodies are most commonly associated with drug-induced systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). This condition occurs as a reaction to certain medications, including procainamide, hydralazine, and isoniazid, among others. The presence of antihistone antibodies is significant in this context because they help to indicate the lupus-like syndrome brought on by these drugs, which is distinct from the more classic forms of SLE often associated with anti-dsDNA and anti-Smith antibodies.

In drug-induced SLE, the symptoms may resemble those of classic SLE, but they often resolve upon discontinuation of the offending drug. Therefore, the identification of antihistone antibodies in serological testing is a key diagnostic criterion for this condition, indicating a likely drug-induced etiology rather than an autoimmune process that would typically be associated with other diseases like rheumatoid arthritis or vasculitis.

Other conditions related to autoimmunity, such as rheumatoid arthritis or vasculitis, have different serological markers that are more characteristic of those diseases, such as rheumatoid factor or anti-citrullinated protein antibodies for rheumatoid arthritis, and ANCA (anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies) for various forms of vasculitis. And