News - Antibodies Predict Course of Early Arthritis

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Antibodies Predict Course of Early Arthritis

Tue Sep 21, 3:12 PM ET

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NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Measuring levels of antibodies against cyclic

citrullinated peptide (CCP) help predict future disease activity in patients

with early rheumatoid arthritis, Swedish researchers report in the ls of

the Rheumatic Diseases.

In fact, lead investigator Dr. Skogh told Reuters Health that the

findings confirm that the " anti-CCP antibody test is as sensitive as

rheumatoid factor but a more specific diagnostic marker for recent onset

rheumatoid arthritis. "

Skogh and colleagues at Linkoping University evaluated anti-CCP antibodies

as a predictor of the course of rheumatoid arthritis over a period of three

years.

The researchers studied data for 242 patients who had had rheumatoid

arthritis symptoms for more than six weeks, but for less than a year. The

patients' blood samples were obtained regularly and tested for anti-CCP

antibodies and for rheumatoid factor.

Overall, anti-CCP testing correctly diagnosed the disease 64 percent of the

time. As the proportion of positive tests increased, so did the number of

fulfilled diagnostic criteria for rheumatoid arthritis.

The anti-CCP results correlated with those of rheumatoid factor testing but

they were more effective in predicting " a more aggressive disease course, "

the investigators report.

" The anti-CCP antibody test is an excellent diagnostic marker of early

rheumatoid arthritis and a better prognostic marker than rheumatoid factor, "

Skogh concluded.

SOURCE: ls of the Rheumatic Diseases, September 2004.