title: Disability and quality-of-life are not influenced by the prevalence of autoantibodies in early rheumatoid arthritis patients--results of the Brasília Cohort.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although many studies have suggested that the presence of autoantibodies, such as rheumatoid factor (RF) and/or anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are predictors of joint damage, the association with disability and quality of life questionnaires are not known.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the correlation between the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) and the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) scores with serological markers, such as RF, anti-CCP, and anti-citrullinated vimentin (anti-Sa).
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty five patients with early RA (ERA) from the Brasília Cohort of ERA were evaluated. Serology tests (ELISA) for RF (IgM, IgG, and IgA), anti-CCP (CCP2, CCP3, and CCP3.1), and anti-Sa were performed, with the application of the HAQ and SF-36 questionnaires in the initial evaluation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age was 45 years, with a female predominance (86%). At the initial evaluation, RF was positive in 32 individuals (49.23%), anti-CCP in 34 (52.3%), and anti-Sa in nine (13.8%). The initial HAQ score was 1.8. The SF-36 scores were as follow: role-emotional, 19.3; social functioning, 43.1; bodily pain, 25.43; general health, 57.6; mental health, 48.1; vitality, 49.5; role-physical, 4.6; and physical functioning, 24.7. The HAQ and SF-36 scores did not vary with autoantibody levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In many patients, ERA has a major impact on physical ability and health-related quality of life. Although RF and anti-CCP tests have been related with joint destruction and worse clinical prognosis, there is no correlation with the results of questionnaires of quality of life and disability.
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil. liciamhmota@yahoo.com.br
authors.forename: Licia Maria Henrique da
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Mota
authors.forename: Leopoldo Luiz dos
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Santos Neto
authors.forename: Rufus W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Burlingame
authors.forename: Henri A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Ménard
authors.forename: Ivanio Alves
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: Jozélio Freire de
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.forename: Ieda Maria Magalhães
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Laurindo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic / Q000276:immunology; D011788:Quality of Life; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor / Q000276:immunology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014746:Vimentin / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic; D014746:Vimentin; C487763:cyclic citrullinated peptide; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor