Anticyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies in systemic sclerosis

Abstract EN

Objective : to measure the serum levels of anti CCP antibodies in patients with systemic sclerosis and to correlate these levels with joint involvement extent of skin sclerosis and pulmonary involvement.

Study design : 22 SSc patients were grouped into (group II) included 10 patients had limited cutaneous SSc and (group III) included 12 patients had diffuse SSc in addition to 10 healthy subjects as a control group (group I).

All patients and controls were subjected to full history taking, thorough clinical examination, routine blood investigations, chest and hand-x-ray, pulmonary function tests, capillary microscope.

Measurement of anti-CCP antibodies using ELISA technique.

Results : Anti-CCP antibodies serum level was significantly higher in SSc patients than the control (p < 0.05).

Also anti-CCP antibodies serum level was significantly higher in patients with arthritis and pulmonary affection than those without arthritis or pulmonary affection.

There was a significant association between anti-CCP antibodies positivity and capillaroscopic abnormalities.

Conclusion : our results suggest that anti-CCP antibodies might be linked to disease severity.