Objectives: The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 causes coronavirus disease 2019. A serological test is conducted to determine prior infection by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. We investigated whether the results of anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 antibody tests are modified in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
Methods: Patients in Japan with rheumatoid arthritis were recruited at Sagamihara Hospital from July 2014 to October 2015 ( = 38; 2014 cohort) and at Tokyo Hospital from June to October 2020 ( = 93; 2020 cohort). Anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 antibodies were measured by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay or immunochromatographic assay.
Results: Anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 antibodies were not detected in any of the samples from rheumatoid arthritis patients tested by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. Anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 antibodies were detected by immunochromatographic assay in the 3 (7.9%) serum samples in the 2014 cohort and 15 (16.1%) serum samples in the 2020 cohort. The IgM rheumatoid factor levels were increased in rheumatoid arthritis patients with IgM anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 antibodies detected by immunochromatographic assay (mean ± standard deviation (IU/ml), 1223.0 ± 1308.7 versus 503.6 ± 1947.2; = 0.0101). The levels of IgG rheumatoid factor were also upregulated in rheumatoid arthritis patients with IgM anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 antibodies detected by immunochromatographic assay (4.0 ± 0.7 versus 2.4 ± 0.9; = 0.0013).
Conclusion: The results of IgM anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 antibody testing by immunochromatographic assay are modified by IgM or IgG rheumatoid factors in rheumatoid arthritis patients.
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http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8949754 | PMC |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/20503121221088090 | DOI Listing |
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