Impact of treatment with infliximab on anticyclic citrullinated peptide antibody and rheumatoid factor in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the impact of infliximab treatment on anticyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) antibody and rheumatoid factor (RF) levels in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).


METHODS
Sera from 33 RA patients receiving infliximab and disease modifying antirheumatic drugs were tested for anti-CCP antibody, IgA-, IgG- and IgM-RF using a commercially available semiquantitative ELISA at baseline, 30 and 54 weeks after treatment.


RESULTS
The serum levels of anti-CCP antibody and IgA-RF decreased significantly after 30 weeks (P = 0.002 and 0.024); however, the decrease was not significant at week 54 (P = 0.147 and 0.207). The decrease in IgG-RF level was not significant at 30 and 54 weeks (P = 0.059 and 0.097). IgM-RF levels, however decreased significantly at 30 and 54 weeks (P = 0.002 and 0.004). A strong correlation between anti-CCP and IgA-, IgG- and IgM-RF was observed at baseline (r(s) = 0.48, 0.43, 0.65, P = < 0.05) and after infliximab treatment at 30 (r(s) = 0.45, 0.46, 0.62, P = < 0.05) and 54 (r(s) = 0.49, 0.45, 0.60, P = < 0.05) weeks.


CONCLUSIONS
Treatment with infliximab results in decreased anti-CCP antibody and IgA-RF early in the course of therapy that is not sustained. IgM-RF declines and remains decreased for at least 54 weeks. Investigations in larger cohorts of RA patients (especially early RA) with longer follow-up are needed to assess the impact of specific therapeutic interventions on anti-CCP antibody and RF levels and the relationship of their levels to disease activity.
Ahmed
M Mubashir
MM
Center of Excellence for Arthritis and Rheumatology, LSU-HSC-S, 1501 Kings Highway, Shreveport, LA 71130, USA. mahmed3@lsuhsc.edu
Mubashir
Eisha
E
Wolf
Robert E
RE
Hayat
Samina
S
Hall
Vicky
V
Shi
Runhua
R
Berney
Seth Mark
SM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000276:immunology; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000276:immunology; D000069285:Infliximab; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor / Q000097:blood*
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic; C487763:cyclic citrullinated peptide; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor; D000069285:Infliximab