RHEUMATOID FACTOR AND ANTI-CCP

SUMMARY

1. Rheumatoid factor (RF) is an auto-antibody that binds to the Fc region of IgG, positive in 80-85% of patients with RA.

2. Sensitive but not specific as it is present in other diseases: chronic lung disease, chronic infections (TB, HIV, viral hepatitis), Sjogren's, SLE, infectious endocarditis, and hematologic malignancies.

3. The anti-citrullinated cyclic peptide (anti-CCP antibody), is highly specific for RA (97%) and tends to portend a poorer prognosis.

4. The presence of both RF and anti-CCP antibodies is associated with more aggressive RA.

Reference(s)

Wilkinson, I. (2017). Oxford handbook of clinical medicine. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
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Therapeutic Guidelines. Melbourne: Therapeutic Guidelines Limited. https://www.tg.org.au [Accessed 2021].