Bos WH et al. – The lower frequency of SE positivity in arthralgia patients compared to RA patients indicates that SE negative patients as a group go through a longer arthralgia phase, or alternatively have a lower risk for transition from antibodies to cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) positive arthralgia to RA. Methods
Pts presenting with both arthralgia and anti-CCP have an increased risk of developing RA
Aim of this study was to further characterize this patient group and shed more light on its relation with clinically manifest early arthritis and established RA
An immunogenetic and serological analysis was performed
In a group of 111 pts with anti-CCP positive arthralgia, anti-CCP levels and shared epitope (SE) status were determined
Data were compared to 125 and 128 anti-CCP-positive pts with early arthritis and established RA, respectively
Results
In anti-CCP-positive arthralgia pts, the frequency of SE allele positivity was lower vs anti-CCP positive early arthritis and established RA
Median anti-CCP levels were higher in the group of SE positive arthralgia pts vs the group of SE-negative arthralgia pts
Median anti-CCP levels were similar in the groups of SE positive arthralgia and arthritis pts
See all
