Anti-CCP rheumatoid arthritis

The anti-CCP test (CCP-al.) is used as a tool to diagnose rheumatoid arthritis. The anti-CCP test is particularly useful for diagnosing the disease at an early stage.

People who do not suffer from rheumatoid arthritis do not have antibodies to CCP in their blood.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory process. During this process, the structure of proteins is changed as citrulline is linked to the protein. The body's immune system makes antibodies against the body's own proteins that are high in citrulline. These antibodies are called anti-CCP antibodies. Normally, the immune system makes antibodies (or antibodies) to render unwanted pathogens harmless. In this case, however, these antibodies lead to a disease state.
The test determines whether and to what extent antibodies against the protein CCP (cyclic citrulline peptide) are present in the blood.

Not elevated

If the result is negative, the patient's blood does not contain antibodies against CCP. The patient may still have rheumatoid arthritis. In that case, a doctor sometimes still has a classical rheumatoid factor test performed. The rheumatoid factor test (RF) is much less specific for rheumatoid arthritis, but in a small number of rheumatoid arthritis patients no anti-CCP antibodies are detectable in the blood and the RF is positive.

Increased

If antibodies to CCP are detected in the blood, it means in almost all cases that the patient has or will develop rheumatoid arthritis. The antibodies can be demonstrated for several years before rheumatic symptoms develop.

Sometimes the symptoms are not very clear yet and an anti-CCP test can provide additional information so that a targeted treatment can be started at an early stage. In combination with this test, the determination of rheumatoid factor





(RF) is also important for making the diagnosis.