title: Multicentric evaluation of a second generation assay to detect antiviral citrullinated peptide antibodies: a collaborative study by the Forum Interdisciplinare per la Ricerca nelle Malattie Autoimmuni.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A novel immunoenzymatic assay using viral citrullinated peptides derived from Epstein-Barr virus-encoded proteins (viral citrullinated peptide 2 (VCP2)) has been developed and evaluated by means of a multicentre collaborative study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred nine sera from patients with established rheumatoid arthritis (RA), 36 with early arthritis, 12 with juvenile arthritis and 453 controls were tested for VCP2 and cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) antibodies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The VCP2 assay showed 78.3% sensitivity and 97.1% specificity. VCP2 and CCP had a high concordance rate in patients with RA (88%) and controls (97%). However, 36 RA sera were positive in the CCP assay but negative on VCP2, and two RA sera reacted only on VCP2.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The new VCP2 assay is endowed with high sensitivity and specificity. VCP2-positive RA sera are mostly but not completely contained in the CCP-positive population. Studies are in progress to establish whether the VCP2 assay can detect clinically distinct subsets of patients with RA.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio di Patologia Clinica, Ospedale S. Antonio, Tolmezzo, Italy. nicola.bizzaro@ass3.sanita.fvg.it
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bizzaro
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Allegri
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Alpini
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Doria
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gerli
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lotzniker
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mathieu
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Morozzi
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bellisai
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Riccieri
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tampoia
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Migliorini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D019309:Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D012372:ROC Curve; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000097:blood; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; C569106:EBNA-2 protein (338-358), citrullinated-; D019309:Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic; D014764:Viral Proteins; C487763:cyclic citrullinated peptide; C417029:EBV-encoded nuclear antigen 1