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- van Delft, Myrthe A. M., et al.
(författare)
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The anti-carbamylated protein antibody response is of overall low avidity despite extensive isotype switching
- 2018
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Ingår i: Rheumatology. - : Oxford University Press. - 1462-0324 .- 1462-0332. ; 57:9, s. 1583-1591
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: To better understand the contribution of autoantibodies in RA and the biology of their responses, we evaluated the avidity of the anti-carbamylated protein (anti-CarP) antibody response.Methods: The avidity of anti-CarP antibody, ACPA and anti-tetanus toxoid IgG were determined using elution assays. Anti-CarP IgG avidity was measured in sera of 107 RA patients, 15 paired SF and serum samples and 8 serially sampled sera before and after disease onset.Results: The avidity of anti-CarP IgG is low compared with the avidity of anti-tetanus toxoid IgG present in the same sera. Likewise, although less pronounced, anti-CarP also displayed a lower avidity as compared with the avidity of ACPA IgG. No difference in anti-CarP IgG avidity is observed between ACPA positive or ACPA negative patients. Anti-CarP IgG avidity is higher in anti-CarP IgM-negative compared with IgM-positive individuals. Furthermore, the anti-CarP avidity in serum is higher than in SF. Using samples of individuals that over time developed RA we observed no anti-CarP avidity maturation in the years before disease onset. In contrast to ACPA avidity, the anti-CarP avidity is not associated with severity of joint destruction.Conclusion: The anti-CarP response is of overall low avidity, even lower than the ACPA IgG avidity, and does not show apparent avidity maturation before or around disease onset. Overall, isotype switch and avidity maturation seem to be uncoupled as isotype switch occurs without avidity maturation, pointing towards a commonality in the regulation of both autoantibody responses as opposed to the pathways governing recall responses.
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| 2. |
- Burgers, Leonie E., et al.
(författare)
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Validation of the EULAR definition of arthralgia suspicious for progression to rheumatoid arthritis
- 2017
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Ingår i: Rheumatology. - : OXFORD UNIV PRESS. - 1462-0324 .- 1462-0332. ; 56:12, s. 2123-2128
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives. Recently a EULAR-taskforce defined arthralgia suspicious for progression to RA, in order to allow inclusion of homogeneous sets of arthralgia patients in clinical studies. This longitudinal study aimed (i) to validate this definition in arthralgia patients in whom rheumatologists felt that imminent RA was more likely than other arthralgias [clinically suspect arthralgia (CSA)], that is, the target population fulfilling the entry criterion, and (ii) to explore the performance in arthralgia patients who were referred to secondary care prior to rheumatological evaluation, hence ignoring the entry criterion. Methods. The definition was assessed in 241 Dutch patients identified with CSA by rheumatologists and 113 patients referred to the Umea university hospital with recent-onset arthralgia in small joints. The external reference was arthritis development < 2 years' follow-up. Results. CSA patients with a positive definition (>= 3/7 parameters present) had an increased risk for developing arthritis compared with definition-negative CSA patients (hazard ratio = 2.1, 95% CI: 0.9, 4.7). The sensitivity was 84% and the positive predictive value 30%. In arthralgia patients in whom the definition was applied before rheumatological evaluation, a positive definition was neither sensitive (10%) nor predictive (positive predictive value 3%). Conclusion. The EULAR definition of arthralgia suspicious for progression to RA is sensitive when used to support the rheumatologist's opinion on imminent RA. This validation study shows that the definition, when used as designed, further homogenizes patients that rheumatologists consider at risk for RA. To arrive at a high specificity, the clinical definition needs to be combined with biomarkers.
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