title: Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide and rheumatoid factor in patients with chronic hepatitis B and hepatitis B carriers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Rheumatoid factor (RF) positivity that may occur in a number of patients with hepatitis B (HBV) infection poses challenges in terms of differential diagnosis with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). On the other hand, antibodies to cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) may prove to be an important marker for differential diagnosis of the two conditions. This study aimed to assess anti-CCP and RF positivity among patients with hepatitis B and rheumatoid arthritis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Anti-CCP and RF seropositivity was assessed in 61 patients with HBV infection (32 patients with chronic hepatitis, 29 patients with inactive HBV carrier status) and 40 patients with RA as the control group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  RF positivity was found in 18.7% and 34.4% of the patients with chronic hepatitis B and inactive HBV carrier status, respectively. On the other hand, only one patient with chronic HBV had low positive anti-CCP. RF was positive in 24 (60%) and anti-CCP was positive in 26 (65%) patients among the 40 patients with RA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Anti-CCP may be helpful in the differential diagnosis between RA and chronic HBV infection or inactive HBV carrier status.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, School of Medicine, University of Uludağ, Bursa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ediz
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dalkılıç
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, School of Medicine, University of Uludağ, Bursa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mustafa Ferhat
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Öksüz
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, School of Medicine, University of Uludağ, Bursa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ayşe Nur
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Tufan
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, School of Medicine, University of Uludağ, Bursa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Aysun
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Özbek
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, School of Medicine, University of Uludağ, Bursa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nizamoğlu
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, School of Medicine, University of Uludağ, Bursa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mürside Esra
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Dolarslan
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, School of Medicine, University of Uludağ, Bursa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Belkıs Nihan
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Coşkun
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, School of Medicine, University of Uludağ, Bursa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Yavuz
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Pehlivan
keywords: Hepatitis B; anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide; rheumatoid arthritis; rheumatoid factor