Anticyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies in systemic sclerosis

To measure the serum levels of anti CCP antibodies in patients with systemic sclerosis and to correlate these levels with joint involvement extent of skin sclerosis and pulmonary involvement. 22 SSc patients were grouped into [group II] included 10 patients had limited cutaneous SSc and [group III] included 12 patients had diffuse SSc in addition to 10 healthy subjects as a control group [group I]. All patients and controls were subjected to full history taking, thorough clinical examination, routine blood investigations, chest and hand-x-ray, pulmonary function tests, capillary microscope. Measurement of anti-CCP antibodies using ELISA technique. Anti-CCP antibodies serum level was significantly higher in SSc patients than the control [p<0.05]. Also anti-CCP antibodies serum level was significantly higher in patients with arthritis and pulmonary affection than those without arthritis or pulmonary affection. There was a significant association between anti-CCP antibodies positivity and capillaroscopic abnormalities. Our results suggest that anti-CCP antibodies might be linked to disease severity