Anti Cyclic Citrullinated Peptide and Rheumatoid Factor in Patients with HCV Arthropathy

Abstract

Background: HCV related arthritis is not uncommon and both diagnosis and treatment is challenging and the role of anti cyclic citullinated peptide (Anti CCP) in the diagnosis of HCV arthropathy is unknown. Materials and methods: A case control Prospective study conducted on 60 patients known to have chronic Hepatitis c infection with arthropathy (Study group) and 20 healthy subjects as control group. Results: The most frequent affected joint in the study was PIPs 32 (53.3%) followed by MCPs joint in 26 (43.3%) while the least frequent joint was the elbow that was affected in only one patient (1.7%). Ten patients (16.6%) had picture of arthritis while 50 (83.4%) had arthralgia. Serum RF in our study it was positive in 16 (26.6%) with low titre with mean 77.01 ± 11.05 (nine of these patients had arthralagia with mean 68.09 ± 13.44, and seven patients had arthritis with mean 80.77 ± 11.45).The prevelance of total cases with positive cryoglobulinemia had estimate about 26 (43.33%). The Anti ccp among HCV arthropathy and we found that about (8 patients 13.33%) have low positive titer for Anti ccp with mean 15.77 ± 5.05. Conclusion: Anti cyclic citrunated peptide can be detected among patients with HCV arthropathy with positive low titer.