Disease activity and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (Anti-CCP)‎ antibody in Saudi RF-negative rheumatoid arthritis patients

Abstract EN

An investigation of disease activity and prevalence of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide in 200 Saudi Rheumatoid Factor-negative rheumatoid arthritis patients ; 164 females and 36 males ; with a mean age of 45.14 years (SD = 12.54).

97 % were receiving disease modifying therapy ; as single (77%) and as combination treatment (20%).

Hydroxychloroquine was the most used drug (92 patients).

Prevalence of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide was 61 / 200 (30.5 %).

Disease activity scores for 28 joints were low (< 3.2) in 2 (1 %) patients, moderate (3.2-5.1) in 38 (19 %), and high (> 5.1) in 160 (80 %).

No significant differences (p > 0.05) between positive and negative anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide patients for Disease Activity Score for 28 Joints, morning stiffness, C-reactive protein, disease duration, and presence of mixed diseases.

A substantial number (30.5 %) of rheumatoid factor negative patients are anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide positive–therefore anticyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies are a useful diagnostic tool for rheumatoid arthritis in RF-ve rheumatoid arthritis patients from Saudi Arabia.

In conclusion, there is no difference in the severity or the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis patients with RF–ve / CCP+ve compared to RFve / CCP-ve patients.

Therefore, anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide test is not useful in predicting disease activity and deciding on management in these patients.