The diagnostic value of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) antibodies in children with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis

CER2836
2006 Vol.24, N°4
PI 0449, PF 0451
Paediatric Rheumatology

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PMID: 16956438 [PubMed]

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Antibodies against cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) are considered to be specific for rheumatoid arthritis (RA).OBJECTIVES:
To assess the clinical significance of anti-CCP antibodies in a cohort of patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and if they can be used to identify patients with an unfavourable course of disease.
METHODS:
68 serum samples were investigated. 45 patients were diagnosed with JIA (15 male and 30 female) aged 1.9-17.3 years (median 12.9 mean 11,0). 5 patients had polyarticular (RF negative), 2 polyarticular (RF positive), 25 oligoarticular JIA, 6 enthesitis related arthritis, 2 psoriatric arthritis, 3 patients had systemic disease and 2 unclassified arthritis. 23 samples were taken from patients with non-inflammatory cardiac diseases undergoing interventional cardiac therapy. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA; Euroimmun, Lübeck, Germany) was used for the detection and quantification of anti-CCP antibodies in patients with JIA.
RESULTS:
Overall, anti-CCP antibodies were found in 2.9% (2/68) of all samples and in 4.4 % (2/45) patients with JIA.
CONCLUSIONS:
Anti-CCP antibodies are associated with RF positive polyarticular course of JIA. Anti-CCP antibodies are not relevant for other subgroups of JIA. Therefore anti-CCP Abs in patients with JIA should not be investigated routinely.