| Budget Amount *help |
¥1,800,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,800,000)
Fiscal Year 2005: ¥600,000 (Direct Cost: ¥600,000)
Fiscal Year 2004: ¥1,200,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,200,000)
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| Research Abstract |
Objectives. Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) antibody is a very useful marker for the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, anti-CCP antibody titer changes have not been reported. Thus, we investigated the changes in anti-CCP antibody titers, as well as performed a cross-sectional study. Patients and Methods. In the cross-sectional study, 31 patients with RA were assessed. Forty seven patients with autoimmune or rheumatic diseases except for RA were also assessed. In the longitudinal study, 6 patients with RA, who were followed-up for longer than 5 years, were assessed. Anti-CCP antibodies in frozen sera were measured using ELISA. Results. Sensitivity and specificity for RA were 94.7% and 88.8%, respectively. There was no correlation between anti-CCP and CRP, ESR, or IgM-RF. Furthermore, time-related changes in the anti-CCP titer of sera were independent from those of inflammation parameters, IgM-RF, and joint counts. Six patients with RA were divided into two groups: one possessed high titers without variation, and the other was without high titers. Joint damage progressed during observation in 2 out of 3 patients with high anti-CCP titers in a retrospective assessment. Conclusion There was no correlation between anti-CCP antibodies and disease activity. To predict the prognosis of joint destruction, it may be necessary to analyze changes in anti-CCP, due to the fact that anti-CCP titers decrease in some patients, while there are some patients who maintain a high anti-CCP titer.
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