Anticyclic Citrullinated Peptide Antibody: A Predictor of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis Progression Toward Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) has been associated with several autoantibodies, including antiperinuclear factor, anti-keratin antibodies, anti-filaggrin antibodies, and anti-Cyclic Citrullinated Peptide (anti-CCP) antibodies. Most studies found that anti-CCP antibodies are only detected in Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis (JRA) patients with positive Rheumatoid Factor (RF). In our center we experimentally observed that children with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) that tested positive for anti-CCP Abs were also tested positive for RF. In seven years of follow-up of these 86 patients, 63 (73.2%) developed RA. It can be hypothesized that the antibodies against CCP plays an important role in progression of the JIA towards RA. On the other hand anti-CCP Abs may play a role in the pathogenesis of RA. Further studies are needed to clarify this association.