PREVALENCE OF ANTIBODIES RECOGNIZING CYCLIC CITRULLINATED PEPTIDES (ANTI-CCP) IN PATIENTS WITH ULCERATIVE COLITIS

Abstract

s of the 4th Congress of ECCO the European Crohn’s and Colitis Organisation S103 P233 Prevalence of antibodies recognizing cyclic citrullinated peptides (anti-CCP) in patients with ulcerative colitis R. Tirri1, A. de Leone2 *, S. Giaquinto2, R. Vitiello1, A. Cirillo2, G. Valentini1, G. Riegler2. 1Unit of Rheumathology, Department of Internal Medicine F. Magrassi A. Lanzara, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy, 2Unit of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine F. Magrassi A. Lanzara, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy Aim: Ulcerative Colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD) are the most common forms of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD) while Aspecific Chronic Colitis (ACC) and Indeterminate Colitis (IC) are less frequent. IBD are frequently complicated by joint involvement (peripheral and axial arthritis). Antibodies recognizing cyclic citrullinated peptides (anti-CCP) are directed to proteins that contain the unusual amino acid citrulline [1]. The anti-CCP ELISA test has an excellent specificity for the diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), especially in patients with early disease, and it is considered a disease activity predictor [2]. Anti-CCP positivity is detected also in Psoriatic Arthritis (PA) but associated with symmetrical polyarthritis pattern [3]. Correlation between IBD, with or without arthritic manifestations, and anti-CCP positivity was not founded [4]. The aim of our study was to evaluate the role of anti-CCP in IBD patients with arthritic manifestations (Enteropathic Arthritis, EA), with arthritic manifestations and Psoriasis (EA + Ps) and in IBD patients without extraintestinal manifestations. Materials and Methods: A total of 54 consecutive adult patients with IBD (24: 19 UC, 3 CD and 2 ACC), with EA (16: 10 UC, 5 CD and 1 IC) and with EA + Ps (14: 6 UC, 7 CD and 1 ACC) were evaluated. Anti-CCP antibodies were detected on patients serum samples by a second generation ELISA test (VCP-IgG Kit; ASTRA Srl Milano) and as positive results were defined values >25U/mL. Results: Anti-CCP positivity was detected in 8 of 54 patients (15%): 4 IBD (3 UC and 1 ACC), 2 EA (2 UC) and 2 EA + Ps (1 UC and 1 ACC). No significant difference (p > 0.05) of the prevalence of antiCCP was found among patients with EA, patients with EA + PS and IBD patients without arthritic manifestations and also among the three groups with different articular involvement. Instead, UC patients had significantly higher prevalence (p 0.05). The overall allele frequency of mutations was higher in CD patients (39.29%) than in controls (27.27%) and this was not statistically significant (p = 0.1595). Polymorphisms Genotype Allele P*