Anti-carbamylated protein antibodies in rheumatoid arthritis patients and their association with rheumatoid factor

Authors

• Maizatul A. Othman, From the Department of Immunology (Othman, Hamid, Wong, Yahya), and the Department of Medicine (Ghazali), School of Medical Sciences, Health Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia
• Kah K. Wong, From the Department of Immunology (Othman, Hamid, Wong, Yahya), and the Department of Medicine (Ghazali), School of Medical Sciences, Health Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia
• Nurul K. Yahya, From the Department of Immunology (Othman, Hamid, Wong, Yahya), and the Department of Medicine (Ghazali), School of Medical Sciences, Health Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia

Abstract

Objectives: To evaluate levels of anti-carbamylated protein (anti-CarP) antibodies in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and to determine their association with serological parameters and disease activity. Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 105 multiethnic RA patients (48 rheumatoid factor [RF]-positive and 57 RF-negative patients) was conducted at Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia, from January 2015 to February 2016. Fifty healthy controls (HCs) were included. C-reactive protein (CRP), RF, anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) and anti-CarP antibodies were measured. A health assessment questionnaire (HAQ) was administered to the study participants and 28-joint Disease Activity Score (DAS28) were obtained. Results: The level of anti-CarP antibodies was significantly increased in the RA patients compared with HCs (p=0.042). The presence of anti-CarP antibodies was significantly associated with RF (p=0.019) and the HAQ (p=0.010). A significant association between the presence of anti-CarP antibodies and the DAS28 was not found (p=0.632). Conclusion: Our study provides further evidence that the level of anti-CarP antibodies is significantly elevated in RA patients.

Article Type

Research Article

First Page

934

Last Page

941

Recommended Citation

Othman, Maizatul A.; Wong, Kah K.; and Yahya, Nurul K. (2017) "Anti-carbamylated protein antibodies in rheumatoid arthritis patients and their association with rheumatoid factor," Saudi Medical Journal: Vol. 38: Iss. 9, Article 9.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15537/smj.2017.9.20841