Editorial

Can Anticyclic Citrullinated Peptide Antibodies be Used to Successfully Monitor Treatment in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients?

Authors: I I. Vallbracht

Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic, inflammatory autoimmune disease characterized by joint inflammation that often leads to joint destruction, severe disability and increased mortality. Up to 40% of patients with rheumatoid arthritis experience progression toward an erosive pattern in the early stages of the disease.1 It is known that most joint erosions occur within the first two years of the disease, and there is growing evidence that only therapeutic intervention early in the course of the disease leads to satisfactory disease control, less joint damage, and a better prognosis. As the current therapeutic strategies in rheumatoid arthritis recommend increasingly aggressive regimens early in the course of the disease, diagnostic tests with high specificity are desirable for choosing the optimal treatment. If, in addition, this test could be used both to monitor disease activity and to indicate adequate treatment, it would be an irreplaceable diagnostic and prognostic tool.

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References

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