Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Rheumatoid factor and antibodies to cyclic citrullinated peptides are associated with severe extra-articular manifestations in rheumatoid arthritis.

Turesson, Carl LU ; Jacobsson, Lennart LU ; Sturfelt, Gunnar LU ; Matteson, E L ; Mathsson, L and Ronnelid, J (2007) In Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases 66(1). p.59-64
Abstract
Objective: To study antibodies to cyclic citrullinated peptides (anti-CCP) and rheumatoid factor in patients with active, severe extra-articular rheumatoid arthritis (ExRA) compared with controls without ExRA. Methods: 35 consecutive patients with severe ExRA manifestations according to predefined criteria were studied. 70 patients with rheumatoid arthritis, but no ExRA manifestations, individually matched for age, sex and disease duration, served as controls. Patients were included when ExRA was diagnosed, before any new treatment was started. Anti-CCPs were detected with ELISA, rheumatoid factor was quantified using nephelometry and anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA) were investigated using indirect immune fluorescence. Results: Anti-CCPs... (More)
Objective: To study antibodies to cyclic citrullinated peptides (anti-CCP) and rheumatoid factor in patients with active, severe extra-articular rheumatoid arthritis (ExRA) compared with controls without ExRA. Methods: 35 consecutive patients with severe ExRA manifestations according to predefined criteria were studied. 70 patients with rheumatoid arthritis, but no ExRA manifestations, individually matched for age, sex and disease duration, served as controls. Patients were included when ExRA was diagnosed, before any new treatment was started. Anti-CCPs were detected with ELISA, rheumatoid factor was quantified using nephelometry and anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA) were investigated using indirect immune fluorescence. Results: Anti-CCPs were detected in 77% of patients with ExRA versus 56% of controls without ExRA (p = 0.03). Anti-CCP levels also tended to be higher in patients with ExRA (p = 0.09). Rheumatoid factor was detected in 94% v 71% of patients and controls, respectively (p = 0.006), and rheumatoid factor levels were higher in patients with ExRA (median interquartile range (IQR) 245 IU/ml (94-604) v 73 IU/ml (not detected-165); p = 0.001). Levels and occurrence of ANA did not differ between patients with ExRA and controls. Patients with ExRA had higher swollen joint counts and C reactive protein levels, but no correlations were found between anti-CCP or rheumatoid factor levels and these measures within the ExRA group. Conclusion: Rheumatoid factor is strongly associated with severe ExRA manifestations in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, and a similar but weaker association exists for anti-CCPs. This suggests a role for rheumatoid factor and anti-CCP in the pathogenesis of ExRA. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases
volume
66
issue
1
pages
59 - 64
publisher
BMJ Publishing Group
external identifiers
  • wos:000242935300011
  • scopus:33845968788
  • pmid:16901955
ISSN
1468-2060
DOI
10.1136/ard.2006.054445
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
131c9602-3c5e-4201-b0db-8744e7de85c1 (old id 160150)
alternative location
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16901955&dopt=Abstract
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 16:01:55
date last changed
2022-02-12 19:21:07
@article{131c9602-3c5e-4201-b0db-8744e7de85c1,
  abstract     = {{Objective: To study antibodies to cyclic citrullinated peptides (anti-CCP) and rheumatoid factor in patients with active, severe extra-articular rheumatoid arthritis (ExRA) compared with controls without ExRA. Methods: 35 consecutive patients with severe ExRA manifestations according to predefined criteria were studied. 70 patients with rheumatoid arthritis, but no ExRA manifestations, individually matched for age, sex and disease duration, served as controls. Patients were included when ExRA was diagnosed, before any new treatment was started. Anti-CCPs were detected with ELISA, rheumatoid factor was quantified using nephelometry and anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA) were investigated using indirect immune fluorescence. Results: Anti-CCPs were detected in 77% of patients with ExRA versus 56% of controls without ExRA (p = 0.03). Anti-CCP levels also tended to be higher in patients with ExRA (p = 0.09). Rheumatoid factor was detected in 94% v 71% of patients and controls, respectively (p = 0.006), and rheumatoid factor levels were higher in patients with ExRA (median interquartile range (IQR) 245 IU/ml (94-604) v 73 IU/ml (not detected-165); p = 0.001). Levels and occurrence of ANA did not differ between patients with ExRA and controls. Patients with ExRA had higher swollen joint counts and C reactive protein levels, but no correlations were found between anti-CCP or rheumatoid factor levels and these measures within the ExRA group. Conclusion: Rheumatoid factor is strongly associated with severe ExRA manifestations in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, and a similar but weaker association exists for anti-CCPs. This suggests a role for rheumatoid factor and anti-CCP in the pathogenesis of ExRA.}},
  author       = {{Turesson, Carl and Jacobsson, Lennart and Sturfelt, Gunnar and Matteson, E L and Mathsson, L and Ronnelid, J}},
  issn         = {{1468-2060}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{59--64}},
  publisher    = {{BMJ Publishing Group}},
  series       = {{Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases}},
  title        = {{Rheumatoid factor and antibodies to cyclic citrullinated peptides are associated with severe extra-articular manifestations in rheumatoid arthritis.}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/ard.2006.054445}},
  doi          = {{10.1136/ard.2006.054445}},
  volume       = {{66}},
  year         = {{2007}},
}