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Research Journal of Medical Sciences

ISSN: Online 1993-6095
ISSN: Print 1815-9346
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Correlation Between Anti‐CCP Levels and Carotid Intima Media Thickness in Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Cross‐sectional Observational Study

Akhila Bhandarkar, Rajnish Singh, Anoosha Bhandarkar, Nandini Duggal, Akhilandeshwari Prasad, Pranav Mallya and Sughosh Kulkarni
Page: 72-77 | Received 22 Sep 2023, Published online: 08 Oct 2023

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https://doi.org/10.36478/10.59218/makrjms.2023.10.72.77

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Abstract

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), a chronic inflammatory joint disorder, is marked by increased morbidity and mortality, largely attributed to cardiovascular disease (CVD). Despite advancements, the underlying mechanisms driving heightened CVD risk in RA remain incompletely elucidated, with chronic inflammation emerging as a key contributor. Recently, attention has turned to biomarkers such as Anti‐cyclic citrullinated peptide (Anti‐CCP), linked not only to RA disease activity but also to endothelial dysfunction. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted a cross‐sectional observational study to investigate the relationship between anti‐CCP levels and carotid intima‐media thickness (CIMT), a surrogate measure of subclinical atherosclerosis, in RA patients. In this cross‐sectional observational study, we enrolled 79 consecutive Anti‐CCP positive RA patients, assessing their clinical and disease characteristics and cardiovascular risk factors and conducting carotid artery Doppler assessments for CIMT. Serum anti‐CCP levels were measured using ELISA. Notably, patients exhibiting abnormal CIMT (>0.6mm) displayed higher Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS 28) scores (mean 4.44±0.63) compared to those with normal CIMT (<0.6mm; mean DAS 28 score 3.45±0.81), linking increased disease activity to CIMT changes. Significantly elevated Anti‐CCP levels were observed in patients with abnormal CIMT (mean 290.45±22.74 U mL-1) compared to those with normal CIMT (mean 111.72±92.63 U mL-1; p = 0.0004). Univariate regression analysis identified several factors linked to CIMT, including anti‐CCP (p = 0.0004), LDL cholesterol (p = 0.026), DAS 28 score (p = 0.0002) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) (p = 0.001). Importantly, anti‐CCP maintained a robust, independent association with CIMT in multivariate regression analysis (r2 = 0.812, p = 0.007). Our study establishes a compelling, direct correlation between anti‐CCP levels and CIMT in RA patients. Even after accounting for potential confounders, the association remains pronounced. This underscores the potential utility of anti‐CCP as a predictive tool for CVD risk in RA patients.

How to cite this article:

Akhila Bhandarkar, Rajnish Singh, Anoosha Bhandarkar, Nandini Duggal, Akhilandeshwari Prasad, Pranav Mallya and Sughosh Kulkarni. Correlation Between Anti‐CCP Levels and Carotid Intima Media Thickness in Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Cross‐sectional Observational Study.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36478/10.59218/makrjms.2023.10.72.77
URL: https://www.makhillpublications.co/view-article/1815-9346/10.59218/makrjms.2023.10.72.77