Decrease of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies and rheumatoid factor following anti-TNF  therapy (infliximab) in rheumatoid arthritis is associated with clinical improvement

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the effect of infliximab treatment on anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies (anti-CCP) and rheumatoid factor (RF) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Methods: 43 patients with rheumatoid arthritis not responding to disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARD) received intravenous infliximab at a dose of 3 mg/kg at baseline and after two and six weeks, and subsequently bimonthly, in combination with methotrexate. Serum samples were collected at baseline and at week 24. A commercial enzyme linked immunosorbent assay was used to test for anti-CCP antibodies; RF were detected using a quantitative nephelometric assay. Results: At baseline, 38 of the 43 patients (88%) were positive for anti-CCP antibodies, and 41 (95%) were positive for RF. The serum titre of anti-CCP and RF decreased significantly after six months of treatment (p = 0.0001 and p,0.0001, respectively). When the patients were grouped on the basis of their clinical response to infliximab, a significant decrease in serum anti-CCP antibodies and RF was observed only in patients who had clinical improvement (ACR 20 and ACR 50). Conclusions: Anti-TNFa treatment in rheumatoid arthritis results in a decrease in the serum titres of RF and anti-CCP antibodies in patients showing clinical improvement, suggesting that these measurements may be a useful adjunct in assessing treatment efficacy.

Correlation of anti-signal recognition particle autoantibody levels with creatine kinase activity in patients with necrotizing myopathy

“…However, in most autoimmune diseases, autoantibodies are generally not indicative of disease activity. In RA, for instance, although rheumatoid factor and anti-citrullinated protein autoantibodies can sometimes disappear with treatment (35), their levels generally remain stable over time (36,37). The followup of these markers has therefore not been recommended in clinical practice.…”

Anti-Cyclic Citrullinated Peptide Antibodies in Rheumatoid Arthritis and Behcet's Disease

“…Applications of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs have been reported to result in a small reduction in anti-CCP antibody in about 50% of patients (Mikuls et al 2004). Alessandri et al (2004) have also found a small but signifi cant decrease in anti-CCP antibody levels in the patients showing clinical improvement and being treated with infl iximab/ methotrexate, but not in those treated with methotrexate alone. Thus not to evaluate the effects of DMARDs usage on anti-CCP antibody titer may be another limitation of our study.…”

Current methods for laboratory diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis

“…Важно отметить, что достоверное снижение концентрации АЦЦП наблю-далось только у пациентов с клиническим улучшением. При этом низкий уровень АЦЦП позволял прогнозиро-вать более выраженный ответ на терапию этими препара-тами [145][146][147]. Применение химерных антител к CD20 (ритуксимаб) также вызывало снижение уровня АЦЦП, однако не удалось установить связи между их концентра-цией и возникновением положительного ответа на тера-пию ритуксимабом [148] (табл.…”