Antibodies against carbamylated proteins: prevalence and associated disease characteristics in Belgian patients with rheumatoid arthritis or other rheumatic diseases.
(2021) Scandinavian Journal of Rheumatology — Vol. 50, n° 2, p. 118-123 (2021)
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- OBJECTIVES: Anti-carbamylated protein antibodies (anti-CarP) are reported to be associated with increased disease activity and with more severe joint damage in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. The present study investigated the presence of anti-CarP in various rheumatic diseases, and their specific clinical significance in RA, in Belgian rheumatology patients. METHOD: We tested sera from 254 RA patients, 56 healthy controls, and 153 patients with different rheumatic conditions: juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), axial spondyloarthritis, systemic sclerosis, and Sjögren's syndrome (SS). An in-house enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect immunoglobulin G antibodies against carbamylated foetal calf serum. RESULTS: Anti-CarP were detected in 88 RA patients (34.6%), of whom 82% were also positive for anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPAs) and 81% were also rheumatoid factor (RF) positive. Of note, 11 anti-CarP single-positive patients were detected (4.3%). The previously reported association with joint erosions was not detected. However, in ACPA- and RF-negative RA patients, the presence of anti-CarP was associated with higher disease activity and disability. Fifteen per cent of JIA patients and 30% of SS patients also tested positive for anti-CarP and their antibody levels did not differ significantly from those of anti-CarP-positive RA patients. Anti-CarP levels were, however, significantly higher in ACPA- or RF-positive patients. CONCLUSION: Anti-CarP antibodies were detected in the sera of a cohort of Belgian RA patients. Moreover, they were also detected in primary SS patients and in JIA patients. In the seronegative subset of RA patients, anti-CarP antibodies showed prognostic value.
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Sidiras, P., Spruyt, D., Gangji, V., Imbault, V., Sokolova, T., Durez, P., Communi, D., Rasschaert, J., & Badot, V. (2021). Antibodies against carbamylated proteins: prevalence and associated disease characteristics in Belgian patients with rheumatoid arthritis or other rheumatic diseases. Scandinavian Journal of Rheumatology, 50(2), 118-123. https://doi.org/10.1080/03009742.2020.1798500 (Original work published 2021)