Evaluation of anti-citrullinated filaggrin antibodies as hallmarks for the diagnosis of rheumatic diseases

[Guest guest]

Ann Rheum Dis. 2004 Apr;63(4):415-9.

Evaluation of anti-citrullinated filaggrin antibodies as hallmarks for

the diagnosis of rheumatic diseases.

Dubucquoi S, Solau-Gervais E, Lefranc D, Marguerie L, Sibilia J, Goetz

J, Dutoit V, Fauchais AL, Hachulla E, Flipo RM, Prin L.

Department of Immunology, CHRU de Lille, France.

s-dubucquoi@...

BACKGROUND: Anti-filaggrin antibodies (AFA) are among the most specific

antibodies for rheumatoid arthritis, so procedures for their detection

should be included in early biological diagnoses. AFA can be detected by

indirect immunofluorescence (anti-keratin antibodies, AKA) or by new

enzyme immunoassays (EIA). Their comparative performance needs to be

established. OBJECTIVE: To compare these technical procedures to

optimise the serological diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis. METHODS:

Results obtained using AKA and EIA were compared in 271 sera from 140

patients with rheumatoid arthritis at various stages, 98 patients with

other autoimmune diseases, and 33 healthy subjects. EIA were

successively undertaken with citrullinated linear filaggrin peptide

(home made EIA) or cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP2, commercial kits).

Rheumatoid factor (RF) was assessed by EIA in all patients. RESULTS:

Anti-CCP2 kits showed the best sensitivity and specificity (65% and 96%,

respectively). Among the 140 patients with rheumatoid arthritis, those

with very recent disease (less than six months' duration, n = 21) were

studied as a separate group. In this group, the sensitivity of anti-CCP2

kits decreased to approximately 50%. Nevertheless this assay remained

the most accurate when compared with AKA or home made EIA using linear

filaggrin peptides. The combination of anti-CCP2 and RF only slightly

increased the sensitivity of the diagnosis of very early rheumatoid

arthritis.

CONCLUSIONS: Kits using citrullinated cyclic peptides (CCP2)

were more suitable than either AKA or EIA using linear filaggrin

peptides for the diagnosis of early rheumatoid disease.

PMID: 15020336

I'll tell you where to go!

Mayo Clinic in Rochester

http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester

s Hopkins Medicine

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org