title: Preclinical rheumatoid arthritis (autoantibodies): an updated review.
abstract: Multiple studies demonstrate that there is a period of development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) during which there are elevations of disease-related biomarkers, including autoantibodies, in the absence of and prior to the development of RA; this period can be termed 'preclinical RA'. These 'preclinical' autoantibodies including rheumatoid factor and antibodies to citrullinated protein antigens, and more recent studies have also identified additional autoantibodies and a wide range of inflammatory biomarkers. These findings in conjunction with established and emerging data about genetic and environmental risk factors for RA support a model of disease development where certain factors lead to an initial triggering of RA-related autoimmunity that expands over time to the point where symptomatic arthritis classifiable as RA develops. Herein will be reviewed updates in the field, as well as a discussion of current limitations of our understanding of preclinical RA, and potential future directions for study.
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, 1775 Aurora Court, Mail Stop B-115, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA, Kevin.Deane@UCDenver.edu.
authors.forename: Kevin D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Deane
mesh_terms: D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000276:immunology*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D015551:Autoimmunity / Q000276:immunology*; D015415:Biomarkers; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D015415:Biomarkers; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor