The presence of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody is associated with magnetic resonance imaging detection of bone marrow oedema in early stage rheumatoid arthritis

• Published in: Annals of the rheumatic diseases Vol. 65; no. 1; pp. 133 - 134
• Main Authors: Tamai, M, Kawakami, A, Uetani, M, Takao, S, Tanaka, F, Nakamura, H, Iwanaga, N, Izumi, Y, Arima, K, Aratake, K, Kamachi, M, Huang, M, Origuchi, T, Ida, H, Aoyagi, K, Eguchi, K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and European League Against Rheumatism 01.01.2006; BMJ; BMJ Publishing Group LTD; BMJ Group
• Subjects: anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies; Arthritis, Rheumatoid - complications; Autoantibodies - blood; Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers - blood; Bone marrow; Bone Marrow Diseases - diagnosis; Bone Marrow Diseases - etiology; bone marrow oedema; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; early stage rheumatoid arthritis; Edema - diagnosis; Edema - etiology; Humans; Inflammatory joint diseases; Letters; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Medical sciences; NMR; Nuclear magnetic resonance; Peptides, Cyclic - immunology; Rheumatoid arthritis; Chronic; Peptides; Antibody; Rheumatoid arthritis; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Rheumatology; Bone marrow; Medical imagery; Autoimmune disease; Early stage; Inflammatory joint disease; Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging
• DOI: 10.1136/ard.2005.04138
• ISSN: 0003-4967

Early prediction of erosive joint damage is very important in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) because significant articular damage in patients is evident radiologically within the first few years of the disease. 1 This study was designed to confirm whether anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies (anti-CCP Ab) define the subset of patients with early stage RA who have bone marrow oedema, observed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Bone marrow oedema is a forerunner of bone erosion on plain radiography, 8 and thus our present data show the additional importance of the presence of anti-CCP Ab at baseline as an indication of future bone erosion in early stage RA. 9 Table 2 Comparison of IgM-RF+ and IgM-RF- patients Variables IgM-RF+ (n = 54) IgM-RF- (n = 26) p Value CRP (mg/ml) 1.5 (2.1) 2.0 (3.3) 0.96* MMP-3 (%) 51.9 34.6 0.23** Number of joints with synovitis 12.1 (5.6) 10.6 (7.8) 0.22* Mean E-rate of 30 joints 7.6 (3.2) 7.6 (2.3) 0.58* Bone marrow oedema % 63.0 42.3 0.08** No 2.7 (3.5) 1.4 (2.7) 0.07* Data are mean (SD) unless stated otherwise.