[Correlation between different clinical activity and anti CC-P (anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies) titres in rheumatoid arthritis treated with three different tumor necrosis factors TNF-alpha blockers].

TNF-alpha role in RA is confirmed by the improvement on joint inflammation and physical function and by the slowing of radiographic damage induced by TNF-alpha blockers, that also reduce Rheumatoid Factor (RF) and anti-CC-P titres. (1) To evaluate the effects of 3 TNF-alpha blockers on (a) disability (HAQ), disease activity (DAS28), acute phase reactants (ERS, CRP); (b) autoantibodies: IgM RF, anti-CCP abs. (2) To evaluate if anti-CCP abs could be useful for testing the efficacy of anti-TNF-alpha agents in the follow-up of RA patients.

Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies are highly associated with severe bone lesions in rheumatoid arthritis anti-CCP and bone damage in RA.

In the present study we investigated the predictive value of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies (anti-CCP) in early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with respect to the bone damage. Fifty-four patients with early RA (onset <12 months), 35 classified as established RA (onset >12 months), 33 healthy donors and 76 non-RA autoimmune diseases, were enrolled. Anti-CCP and IgG, IgA, IgM rheumatoid factors (RFs) were determined at baseline.

Studies on allergens of Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus by direct and indirect RAST.

Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (DP) extract was fractionated by Sephadex G-75 and liquid isoelectric focusing (IEF) and the allergenic activity of different fractions was monitored by direct and indirect RAST. The fractionation on Sephadex G-75 showed that the allergenic activity of DP extract was related to wide molecular weight spectrum components, even though the maximum amount was recovered in effluent that contained protein with a molecular weight ranging between 25,000 and 12,500 daltons. By fractionation of the mite extract on IEF, three main peaks of allergenic activity (pI less than 3.