Rheumatoid Arthritis Co-relation with Anti-CCP Antibodies with special reference to its Prevalence in Asymptomatic...

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology
• Immunology
• Autoimmune Diseases

Background:

• Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease.
• First-degree relatives (FDR) of RA patients share genetic and environmental risk factors, potentially indicating a pre-RA state.
• Asymptomatic first-degree relatives (AFDR) may represent a population at heightened risk for developing RA.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the clinical correlation of RA with Anti-Cyclic Citrullinated Peptide (anti-CCP) antibody.
• To determine the prevalence of anti-CCP antibody seropositivity in asymptomatic first-degree relatives (AFDR) of RA patients.
• To compare anti-CCP prevalence in AFDR with healthy controls.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 85 RA patients, 105 AFDR, and 105 healthy controls.
• Clinical examination and DAS-28 calculation for RA patients.
• Anti-CCP antibody testing for all participants; statistical analysis to assess correlations.

Main Results:

• DAS-28 significantly correlated with anti-CCP positivity (p≤0.01) but not Rheumatoid Factor (RF).
• Anti-CCP did not show a significant correlation with extra-articular manifestations (EAM) (p≥0.05).
• Anti-CCP seropositivity was found in 20.9% of AFDR and 12.3% of controls, a difference not statistically significant (p=0.1378).

Conclusions:

• Anti-CCP antibody is a valuable marker for RA disease activity, correlating better than RF.
• The elevated prevalence of anti-CCP in AFDR suggests an increased future risk of developing RA.
• Screening AFDR for anti-CCP antibodies is recommended for early RA detection and timely intervention.