ANTI-CITRULLINA ANTIBODIES IN ADULT ONSET STILL DISEASE. PRELIMINARY RESULTS

Background: Anti-citrulline antibodies (anti-CCP) are now considered an important sierologic marker for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). They have prognostic properties about erosiveness with > 75% of sensitivity and > 95% of specificity. Adult onset Still disease may have a poliarthritic RA-like presentation.Objectives: The aim of this study is to evaluate the prevalence and diagnostic value of anti-CCP in Adult Onset Still disease (AOSD) and other conditions.Methods: We have studied 123 patients: 10 AOSD (5 F, 5 M), 26 established RA (21F, 5 M), 26 Lupus erithematosus systemicus (SLE) (23 F, 3 M), 57 healthy controls (28 F, 29 M), 4 patients with circulating IgM anti-Epstain Barr virus antibodies (EBV). We have used an ELISA kit provided by Shield. The assay was performed using high purifyied sintetic peptides and anti-human IgG monoclonal antibodies linked by alcaline phosphatase.Results: Anti-CCP were present in 76% of RA patients and in 7.6% of SLE patients. Findings in AOSD, EBV and healthy controls were below of reference level.Conclusion: Our preliminar study confirm data of literature about RA. In AOSD patients we haven't found anti-CCP antibodies, analogously to results from a pediatric study about cases of juvenile idiopatic arthritis. Anti-CCP antibodies absence in AOSD with RA-like poliarticular picture may be usefull for differential diagnosis on seronegative RA.1. Bizzarro N, Mozzanti G, Tonutti E et al. Diagnostic accuracy of the anti-citrulline antibody assay for Rheumatoid arthritis. Clin Chem 2001;47:1089-1093; 2. Schellemken GA, Visser H, De Jong BAW et al. The diagnostic properties of rheumatoid arthritis antibodies recognizing a cyclic citrullinated peptide. Arthritis Rheum 2000; 43:155-163.; 3. Avcin T, Cimaz R, Falcini F et al. Prevalence and clinical significance af anti-cyclic cistrullinated peptide antibodies in juvenile idiopatic arthritis. Ann Rheum Dis 2002;61:609-611.Citation: , volume , supplement , year 2003, page Session: Humoral aspects of autoimmune disease