title: Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies in patients with sarcoidosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) antibodies have a high predictive value in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and are associated with disease severity. Sarcoidosis is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by non-calcified granuloma formations.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determining the prevalence of anti-CCP antibodies in patients with sarcoidosis, and identifying a possible correlation with clinical and laboratory findings.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-two patients presenting to the rheumatology polyclinic and diagnosed with sarcoidosis as a result of the examinations made, 45 RA patients and 45 healthy subjects were included in the study. Demographic, clinical, serological and radiological data of all patients were recorded. Anti-CCP antibodies were evaluated by using a second-generation ELISA method. Rheumatoid factor (RF) IgM was determined with the nephelometry method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-two patients (10 males) were included in the study. Mean patient age was 45.2 years (20-70 years) and mean duration of disease was 3.5 years. Two sarcoidosis patients (4.7%) and 38(84.4%) RA patients were found to be positive for anti-CCP antibodies while the antibody wasn't detected in any healthy subject. The two sarcoidosis patients found positive for anti-CCP were also diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. RF positivity was detected in 7 sarcoidosis patients (16.6%) and in only one subject in the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of anti-CCP antibodies in patients with sarcoidosis was found to be significantly lower than RA patients and similar with the healthy control group. This result shows that anti-CCP antibodies don't have an important role in the pathogenesis of sarcoidosis, but could be important in revealing the overlap syndromes of sarcoidosis-RA.
authors.affiliation: Sifa University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Rheumatology. senolkobak@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Senol
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kobak
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ylmaz
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sever
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Duran
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic / Q000276:immunology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor / Q000097:blood; D012507:Sarcoidosis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D015415:Biomarkers; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic; C487763:cyclic citrullinated peptide; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor