Systemic inflammation and antibodies to citrullinated peptides in hand osteoarthritis

CER4381
2011 Vol.29, N°6
PI 1006, PF 1009
Brief Papers

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PMID: 22032420 [PubMed]

Received: 13/12/2010
Accepted : 20/05/2011
In Press: 22/12/2011
Published: 22/12/2011

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:
To investigate systemic inflammation and autoimmune response to citrullinated peptides in patients with erosive and non erosive `lone` hand osteoarthritis (HOA) with no hip/knee involvement and their relationship with radiographic structural damage.
METHODS:
Sera were obtained from a total of 99 patients with HOA (52 patients with erosive HOA and 47 patients with non-erosive HOA) and from 50 control subjects (NC). Hand radiographs were obtained from all patients and scored for joint damage according to the Kellgren-Lawrence and the Kallman scores. Serum levels of high-sensitivity CRP (hsCRP), IL-6, pentraxin-3 (PTX-3), anti-CCP and anti-modified citrullinated vimentin (MCV) antibodies were evaluated by a sandwich ELISA.
RESULTS:
Circulating levels of inflammatory biomarkers hsCRP, IL-6 and PTX3 were not significantly different in the two groups of patients with erosive and non-erosive HOA compared to NC and no significant difference was seen between non-erosive and erosive HOA. Anti-CCP positivity was detected respectively in 1 patient (2.1%) with non-erosive HOA and 1 patient (1.9%) with erosive HOA. Anti-MCV antibodies were present in 4 patients (8.5%) with non-erosive HOA, and 4 patients (7.7%) with erosive HOA. In the control group, one subject (2%) was positive for anti-CCP and 2 subjects (4%) had anti-MCV antibodies. Significant correlation was obtained only between body mass index and hsCRP concentration (r=0.4071; p<0.0001). No correlation between inflammation markers/autoantibodies and disease duration and radiological scores was found.
CONCLUSIONS:
Our study underlines the lack of systemic inflammation and autoimmunity in `lone` HOA and confirms the association between BMI and CRP levels.