Overlap of Characteristic Serological Antibodies in Rheumatoid Arthritis and Wheat-Related Disorders.

Yuanyuan Yang,Hari Krishnamurthy,John J Rajasekaran,Vasanth Jayaraman,Kang Bei,Tianhao Wang,Karthik Krishna,Vinodh Ranganathan,Payal Deshpande

doi:10.1155/2019/4089178

Abstract

Background and Aims Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and celiac disease (CD) are members of the autoimmune disease family while they have been shown to share multiple aspects in epidemiology and clinical manifestations. The aim of this study was to assess the presence of wheat protein antibodies in RA seropositive subjects and the presence of RA diagnostic markers in subjects with seropositive wheat-related disorders including CD. Methods Serum samples were collected from 844 subjects with joint pain and/or gastrointestinal symptoms and tested by a CD panel (anti-tTG and anti-DGP), a Wheat Zoomer (WZ) antibody panel (IgG/IgA to 14 wheat proteins), and a RA panel (anti-CCP and anti-RF). Retrospective analysis was completed using de-identified clinical data and test results. Results The prevalence of RA markers was first investigated in CD- or WZ-positive subjects and negative controls. 49 subjects were seropositive in the CD panel with 10 (20%) RA positivity. 605 subjects were seropositive in the WZ panel with 106 (18%) RA positivity. 222 subjects were seronegative in either panels with 12 (6%) RA positivity. Next, the frequency of the CD markers and the clinically relevant wheat protein antibodies were investigated in the RA-positive subjects and negative controls. 128 subjects in this cohort were seropositive in the RA panel with 10 (8%) CD positivity and 106 (83%) WZ positivity, compared to 716 RA seronegative controls with 39 (5%) CD positivity and 499 (70%) WZ positivity. Conclusions Our data presents an apparent trend of overlapped serological antibody biomarker positivity in RA and wheat-related disorders.

Highlights

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune disease that causes progressive articular damage, functional loss, and comorbidity
We investigated the overlap of characteristic biomarkers in RA and wheat-related disorders including celiac disease (CD)
After exclusion of the incomplete clinical data in which some test results were lacking, 844 subjects who ordered the rheumatoid arthritis panel, the celiac disease panel, and the Wheat Zoomer panel were included in this retrospective study

Summary

Introduction

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune disease that causes progressive articular damage, functional loss, and comorbidity. One of the most important and helpful criteria in reaching a RA diagnosis is to identify antibodies to rheumatoid factor (anti-RF) IgM and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (antiCCP) IgG/IgA, which are known triggers of RA symptoms. The aim of this study was to assess the presence of wheat protein antibodies in RA seropositive subjects and the presence of RA diagnostic markers in subjects with seropositive wheat-related disorders including CD. Serum samples were collected from 844 subjects with joint pain and/or gastrointestinal symptoms and tested by a CD panel (anti-tTG and anti-DGP), a Wheat Zoomer (WZ) antibody panel (IgG/IgA to 14 wheat proteins), and a RA panel (anti-CCP and anti-RF). The prevalence of RA markers was first investigated in CD- or WZ-positive subjects and negative controls. The frequency of the CD markers and the clinically relevant wheat protein antibodies were investigated in the RA-positive subjects and negative controls. Our data presents an apparent trend of overlapped serological antibody biomarker positivity in RA and wheat-related disorders

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion