Male gender (OR = 4.90, 95%CI 1.22–19.69, P = 0.025), digital ulcers (OR = 9.67, 95%CI 2.16–43.22, P = 0.003), vasculitis (OR = 12.00, 95%CI 2.31–62.46, p = 0.003), arthritis (OR = 4.78, 95%CI 1.12–20.36, P = 0.034), anti-Ro-52 (OR = 5.53, 95%CI 1.29–23.68, P = 0.021), and active disease (OR = 6.11, 95%CI 1.47–25.43, P = 0.013) were associated with anti-MDA-5 antibodies. Here, TRIM21 is linked to arthritic joint disease.