DOI: 10.36347/sajb.2017.v05i08.002

Pages: 561-565

Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies (anti-CCP) have been shown to have high specificity in the early diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, these antibodies are sometimes present in patients with other rheumatic diseases and rarely in healthy individuals. We evaluated the occurrence of these antibodies in patients with RA, other rheumatic diseases and in healthy controls. Fifty two patients with RA, 39 patients with other rheumatological disorders (like ankylosing spondylitis SLE, systemic sclerosis and psoriatic arthritis) and 30 controls were recruited. Tests for immunological indicators (rheumatic factor and anti-CCP) were performed for each subject. Anti-CCP antibodies were found in 34 out of 52 patients with RA, 3 out of 39 patients with other rheumatic diseases and in none of the 30 healthy controls. Sensitivity and specificity of anti-CCP for RA were 65.4% and 95.7%, respectively while for rheumatoid factor, sensitivity and specificity were 50% and 89.9%. Anti-CCP antibodies were detected in nearly 70% of patients with RA. Fewer than 10% of patients with other rheumatic diseases and no healthy controls had anti-CCP antibodies. It is important to correlate the result of anti-CCP testing with the clinical presentation in order to avoid misdiagnosis.