RESEARCH - Continuous measurement of anti-CCP antibodies does not help evaluate disease activity

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Clin Rheumatol. 2010 Sep 14.

The continuous measurement of anti-CCP-antibodies does not help to

evaluate the disease activity in anti-CCP-antibody-positive patients

with rheumatoid arthritis.

Landmann T, Kehl G, Bergner R.

Kuratorium für Dialyse und Nierentransplantation, Ludwigshafen, Germany.

Abstract

Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody (CCP-AB) are used for

diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). It is still unknown if the

extent of CCP-AB levels is useful to assess the disease activity or

the individual follow-up as an individual activity parameter. We

investigated 40 patients with a known RA who were positive for CCP-AB.

Correlation between disease activity (DAS 28) and the amount of levels

of CCP-AB in all patients over time as well as the individual

follow-up were analysed. A weak correlation between CCP-AB and DAS 28

[r = 0.19; p = 0.001] was found. The individual correlation between

CCP-AB titre and DAS 28 ranged between r = -1 and r = 1, so a strong

positive and also a strong negative correlation was seen in single

patients. In patients with erosive RA the correlation was

significantly more positive than in patients with non-erosive RA.

Because the correlation between CCP-AB levels and parameters of

disease activity measured by DAS 28 is very low, we conclude for

monitoring the disease activity to use simply and established

parameters like morning stiffness, HAQ or ESR. The individual

follow-up of the levels of CCP-AB is by the moment not useful for

monitoring the disease activity.

PMID: 20838835

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20838835

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