Anti-carbamylated protein antibodies positivity and disease activity in Hispanic patients with established rheumatoid arthritis: An observational study

• Published in: Modern rheumatology Vol. ahead-of-print; no. ahead-of-print; pp. 1 - 8
• Main Authors: Vega-Morales, David, Garza-Elizondo, Mario A., Trouw, Leendert A., Gonzalez-Torres, Karina I., Torres-Lopez, Ernesto, Eguia-Bernal, Miryam, Loredo-Alanis, Salvador A., Gracia-Arechiga, Tayde S., Vazquez-Fuentes, Brenda R., Castañeda-Martinez, Diana D., Castañeda-Martinez, Martha M., Elizondo-Solis, Cesar V., Mendiola-Jimenez, Andres, Salinas-Carmona, Mario C., Herrera-Sandate, Pablo, la Garza, Jesus A. Cardenas-de, Rodriguez-Sanchez, Gerardo E., Galarza-Delgado, Dionicio A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Taylor & Francis 28-02-2022
• Subjects: Anti-citrullinated protein antibodies; autoantibodies; protein carbamylation; rheumatoid arthritis; rheumatoid factor; protein carbamylation; Anti-citrullinated protein antibodies; autoantibodies; rheumatoid arthritis; rheumatoid factor
• ISSN: 1439-7595; 1439-7609
• DOI: 10.1080/14397595.2021.1913277

We aimed to determine the prevalence of anti-carbamylated protein (anti-CarP) antibodies in Mexican Hispanics with established rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to assess their relationship with disease activity.
A cohort study was conducted in 278 patients with established RA during an 18-month follow-up. We measured IgG/IgM/IgA rheumatoid factor (RF), IgG anticitrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA) and IgG/IgM/IgA anti-CarP antibodies using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). For disease activity, we performed the 28-joint disease activity score with erythrocyte sedimentation rate (DAS28-ESR). Repeated measures one-way ANOVA was used to test the association between anti-CarP IgG antibody status and longitudinal DAS28-ESR scores. Patients were evaluated at baseline and at 6, 12, and 18 months during follow-up.
Anti-CarP IgG antibodies were positive in 47.8% of patients and, accounting for all isotypes, in 9.5% of patients with negative RF and ACPA. Triple antibody positivity was present in 42.6% of patients in our sample. Anti-CarP IgG antibody positivity did not show statistically significant differences in mean DAS28-ESR when compared to anti-CarP IgG antibody negative patients at baseline, 6, 12 or 18 months.
Anti-CarP IgG antibodies are not associated to a higher disease activity in Hispanic patients with established RA. Our findings suggest that the clinical value of measuring anti-CarP antibodies in RA diminishes over time.