Diagnostic Value of Antibodies Against a Modified Citrullinated Vimentin in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic autoimmune disease characterized by joint inflammation, subsequent joint destruction leading to loss of joint function, and disability. Joint erosions develop quickly in 25 % of RA patients during the first 3 months of the disease and in about 75% of patients during the first 2years .

Early therapeutic intervention with synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (sDMARD) and biological agents that target specific molecules can prevent joint damage and improve the prognosis of the disease. Since these therapies can have potential toxic effects ,it is very important that practitioners diagnose early and reliably the disease, especially the more aggressive forms, in order to select the appropriate treatment for patients.

Early diagnosis of RA can be challenging. During the last 15 years, there has been significant progress on the pathogenesis of RA with the discovery of antibodies against citrullinated protein antigens (ACPAs). ACPA production is associated with the HLA-DRB1 shared epitope, cigarette smoking, and periodontitis .

ACPAs have been shown to predict joint damage and are associated with more severe disease and extra-articular manifestations . In order to better identify RA patients at earlier stages, new 2010 classification criteria for RA by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR)/European League against Rheumatism (EULAR) include rheumatoid factor (RF) and ACPAs .

The most common commercial assay for the detection of ACPAs is anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) test, which uses synthetic cyclic citrullinated peptides that mimic RA epitopes.