ANTI-CYCLIC CITRULLINATED PEPTIDE AND RHEUMATOID FACTOR IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC HEPATITIS B AND HEPATITIS B CARRIERS

Background: Rheumatoid factor (RF) positivity that may occur in a number of patients with HBV infection poses challenges in terms of differential diagnosis with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). On the other hand, antibodies to cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) may prove to be an important marker for differential diagnosis of the two conditions. Objectives: This study aimed to assess anti-CCP and RF positivity among patients with hepatitis B and rheumatoid arthritis. Methods: Anti-CCP and RF seropositivity was assessed in 61 patients with HBV infection (32 patients with chronic hepatitis, 29 patients with inactive HBV carrier status), and 40 patients with RA as the control group. Results: RF positivity was found in 18.7% and 34.4% of the patients with chronic hepatitis B and inactive HBV carrier status, respectively. On the other hand, only one patient with chronic hepatitis B had low positive anti-CCP. RF was positive in 24 (60%) and anti-CCP was positive in 26 (65%) patients among the 40 patients with RA. Conclusions: Anti-CCP may be helpful in the differential diagnosis between RA and chronic hepatitis B infection or inactive HBV carrier status. References: 1.Inanc N, Dalkilic E, Kamali S, et al. (2007) Anti-CCP antibodies in rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis. Clin Rheumatol 26, 17-23. 2.Lee SI, Yoo WH, Yun HJ, et al. (2007) Absence of antibody to cyclic citrullinated peptide in sera of non-arthritic patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection. Clin Rheumatol 26, 1079-82. 3.Lienesch D, Morris R, Metzger A, Debuys P, Sherman K (2005) Absence of cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody in nonarthritic patients with chronic hepatitis C infection. J Rheumatol 32, 489-93. Disclosure of Interest: None DeclaredCitation: , volume 72, supplement s3, year 2013, page Session: Publication only ( )