Faaiz Ali Shah, Khalid Mahmood, Shahab-ud-din, Wali Mohammad Mehsud, Abdur Rehman Qureshi, Iqtidar Ullah Babar.
Frequency of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) antibodies in early symptomatic rheumatoid arthritis.
Pak J Surg Jan ;31(1):49-53.

Objective: To determine the frequency of anti- cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) antibodies in early symptomatic rheumatoid arthritis (RA ). Design: Descriptive case series. Sett ing and duration: Department of Orthopaedic and Trauma Unit “A” Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar from February 2014 to July 2014. Material and methods: Twenty fi ve women patients (mean age, 42 years, range 22–55) with disease onset of more than 6 weeks but less than 12 weeks duration and who met at least four 1987 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) revised criteria were enrolled in the study. Serum antibodies directed to the cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) and rheumatoid factor (RF) were assessed and recorded at initial visit. Results: Majority (88%, n=22) of patients had positive anti-CCP test while only three (12%) patients had negative anti-CCP test. Ten (40%) patients were reported to be positive for RF (including two anti-CCP negative patients) while 15(60%) were negative for rheumatoid factor (RF) test. One (4%) patient was negative for both anti-CCP and RF test. Conclusion: Anti‐CCP is the most frequent positive laboratory test in early symptomatic rheumatoid arthritis. We therefore recommend it for routine clinical practice for the confi rmation of early serological diagnosis of symptomatic rheumatoid arthritis.

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