Anti-mutated citrullinated vimentin antibodies in rheumatoid arthritis; diagnostic utility and association with deformities and disease activity

The Egyptian Journal of Immunology
Volume 30 (1), January, 2023
Pages: 105–115.
www.Ejimmunology.org
https://doi.org/10.55133/eji.300111
Hanan Sh. Mohammed1, Ghada H. Ahmed1, Nabawia M. Tawfik1, Sohair K. Sayed2 and Ayat S. Ahmed1
1Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt.

2Department of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University Assiut, Egypt.

Corresponding author: Ayat Ahmed, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt.
Email: ayat_asa1990@yahoo.com.

Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease with multiple morbidity burdens. Early diagnosis of RA is the main key in management and prevention of disease complications. Much research nowadays is looking for a serological marker with high accuracy in diagnosis of early RA cases. Our aim in this study was to evaluate the role of anti-mutated citrullinated vimentin (anti-MCV) antibodies in the early diagnosis of RA. In addition to compare its diagnostic sensitivity and specificity with anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies (anti-CCP) and RF antibodies in early versus established RA patients. This prospective cross-sectional study included 80 participants: 40 RA patients (20 early RA patients and 20 established RA patients), 20 patients with other rheumatic diseases (as a disease control group), and 20 apparently healthy participants as normal controls. All participants underwent history taking, clinical examination (general, articular assessment and calculation of disease activity score (DAS28-ESR)) for RA patients, radiological and laboratory investigations (RF, anti-CCP2 and anti-MCV antibodies measurements by ELISA technique). The results showed that the mean values of anti-CCP2 and anti-MCV were significantly increased in RA cases compared to the control groups (p=0.00 and p=0.01, respectively). Anti-MCV had sensitivity and specificity of 63% and 83%, respectively for diagnosing of early RA at area under curve of 0.80 compared to sensitivity and specificity 37% and 100%, respectively for anti-CCP2. Also, both (anti-CCP2 and anti-MCV) had positive significant correlations with ESR (p<0.001 and p=0.02, respectively), CRP (p=0.01 and p=0.02, respectively) and DAS 28 (p<0.001 for both). In conclusion, our data indicated that anti-MCV antibodies may represent a valuable marker for diagnosis of early RA cases.

Keywords: RF, Anti CCP, Anti MCV, DAS-28.

Date received: 17 September 2019; accepted: 23 December 2022

PMID: 36592386

 

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