Articles / Anti-CCP and Diagnosing Rheumatoid Arthritis

Anti-CCP and Diagnosing Rheumatoid Arthritis

writer

Dr Daman Langguth

Head of the Immunology Department at Sullivan Nicolaides Pathology; Chair of Sullivan Nicolaides Pathology Partners.

Historical and Pathological Background

Research in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) over the past 10 years has gained significant ground in both pathophysiological and clinical understanding.

It is now known that early aggressive therapy within the first three months of the development of joint symptoms decreases the chance of developing severe disease, both clinically and radiologically.

References

ACR Position statement on anti-CCP antibodies http://www.rheumatology.org/publications hotline/1003anticcp.asp.
Forslind K, Ahlmén M, Eberhardt K, Hafström I, Svensson B; BARFOT Study Group. Prediction of radiologic outcome in early rheumatoid arthritis in clinical practice: role of antibodies to citrullinated peptides (anti-CCP). Ann Rheum Dis. 2004; 63(9):1090-5. DOI: 10.1136/ard.2003.014233
Huizinga TW, Amos CI, van der Helm-van Mil AH, Chen W, van Gaalen FA, Jawaheer D, et al. Refining the complex rheumatoid arthritis phenotype based on specificity of the HLA-DRB1 Shared epitope for antibodies to citrullinated proteins. Arthritis Rheum. 2005 Nov; 52(11): 3433-8. DOI: 10.1002/art.21385
Lee DM, Schur PH. Clinical Utility of the anti-CCP assay in patients with rheumatic disease. Ann Rheum Dis. 2003 Sep; 62(9): 870-4. DOI: 10.1136/ard.62.9.870
van Gaalen FA1, Linn-Rasker SP, van Venrooij WJ, de Jong BA, Breedveld FC, Verweij CL et al. Autoantibodies to cyclic citrullinated peptides predict progression to rheumatoid arthritis in patients with undifferentiated arthritis. Arthritis Rheum. 2004 Mar; 50(3): 709-15. DOI: 10.1002/art.20044
Zendman AJW, van Venrooij WJ, Prujin GJM. Use and significance of anti-CCP autoantibodies in rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatology. 2006 Jan; 45(1): 20-5. DOI: 10.1093/rheumatology/kei111