Autoantibodies Evaluated for Diagnosis and Monitoring Rheumatoid Arthritis

French scientists compared the effectiveness of serological markers for diagnosing rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and monitoring the effect of therapy with Infliximab (an antibody that inhibits the activity of the inflammatory mediator tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha).

They compared antibodies to rheumatoid factor (RF) and autoantibodies to mutated citrullinated vimentin (Anti-MCV), or cyclic citrullinated peptides (Anti-CCP). These serological markers are indispensable tools for diagnosing RI.

Pascale Nicaise-Roland, from the department of immunology and hematology, Bichat Claude-Bernard, Hospital (Paris, France), and coworkers performed the study in 80 RA patients with anti-CCP antibodies and 76 patients without. The specificity of anti-MCV was evaluated by investigating 50 healthy controls and 158 patients with other rheumatic diseases (51 psoriatic rheumatism, 58 primary Sjögren syndrome, and 49 ankylosis spondylitis).

The results showed that anti-MCV antibodies document the effects of treatment with TNF-alpha blocking agents whereas anti-CCP did not, although both displayed the same sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing RA. This provides the rheumatologist with new opportunities for monitoring RA therapy outcome.

RA is the most common chronic inflammatory joint disease, affecting 0.5 per cent to one per cent of the world's population. It is characterized by synovial joint inflammation, which leads to progressive joint destruction, impaired mobility, and disability. Early efficient treatment improves the outcome and may prevent irreversible damages.

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Bichat Claude-Bernard, Hospital