Correlation of anti-cyclic citrullinated antibody with hand joint erosion score in rheumatoid arthritis patients.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the correlation between radiological joint damage and serological parameters in early rheumatoid arthritis (RA).


METHODS
This retrospective study reviewed the records of 216 patients diagnosed with RA and classified them according to disease duration: group 1, </= 24 months; group 2, > 24 months; and group 3, all patients combined. The extent of joint damage was assessed from plain radiographs using a modified version of the Larsen method and compared among groups.


RESULTS
The mean radiographic joint damage score was significantly higher in patients who had established RA (10.1 points) compared with those who had early RA. In group 1, the inflammatory parameters, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and C-reactive protein were positively correlated with the joint damage score, but rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) antibody were not. A subgroup analysis revealed that the anti-CCP positive patients in groups 1 and 2 had greater joint damage scores than did the anti-CCP negative patients, but no difference in RF was observed between subgroups. Anti-CCP positivity was not significantly correlated with joint damage sores in group 3.


CONCLUSIONS
Anti-CCP positivity was significantly correlated with more severe joint damage at diagnosis. A correlation was observed between the radiological joint damage score and inflammatory parameters in early and established RA, indicating that anti-CCP can serve as a diagnostic tool and predict structural joint damage. These findings suggest anti-CCP positive patients should receive aggressive therapeutic intervention.
Department of Internal Medicine, Arthritis and Autoimmunity Research Center, Catholic University of Daegu School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
Hyun Hee
HH
Kim
Jihun
J
Kim
Sung-Hoon
SH
Park
Seong-Kyu
SK
Kim
Ok-Dong
OD
Kim
Jung-Yoon
JY
Choe
D000328:Adult; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000276:immunology*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D005384:Finger Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008662:Metacarpophalangeal Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic / Q000276:immunology*; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014955:Wrist Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging
D001323:Autoantibodies; D015415:Biomarkers; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic; C487763:cyclic citrullinated peptide