Anti-Cyclic Citrullinated Peptide (Anti-CCP)‎ and Anti-Mutated Citrullinated Vimentin (Anti-MCV)‎ Relation with Extra-Articular Manifestations in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Abstract EN

We evaluated the association between anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies (anti-CCP) and anti-mutated citrullinated vimentin antibodies (anti-MCV) with the presence of extra-articular (ExRA) manifestations in 225 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Ninety-five patients had ExRA and 130 had no ExRA.

There was no association of anti-CCP and anti-MCV levels with the presence of ExRA as total group ( P = 0.40 and P = 0.91 , resp.).

Making an analysis of individual manifestations, rheumatoid nodules were associated with positivity for rheumatoid factor (RF); ( P = 0.01 ), anti-CCP ( P = 0.048 ), and anti-MCV ( P = 0.02 ).

Instead, RF, anti-CCP, or anti-MCV were not associated with SS, chronic anemia, or peripheral neuropathy.

Levels of anti-CCP correlated with the score of the Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index (HAQ-Di) ( r = 0.154 , P = 0.03 ), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR); ( r = 0.155 , P = 0.03 ), and RF ( P = 0.254 , P < 0.001 ), whereas anti-MCV titres only correlated with RF ( r = 0.169 , P = 0.02 ).

On adjusted analysis, ExRA was associated with longer age ( P = 0.015 ), longer disease duration ( P = 0.007 ), higher DAS-28 score ( P = 0.002 ), and higher HAQ-DI score ( P = 0.007 ), but serum levels of anti-CCP and anti-MCV were not associated.

These findings show the need to strengthen the evaluation of the pathogenic mechanisms implied in each specific ExRA manifestation.