Anticarbamylated protein antibodies as a diagnostic marker in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and it’s correlation to disease activity in Assiut governorate

Background and aim Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a prevalent autoimmune disorder affecting ∼1% of the global population, characterized by chronic inflammatory arthritis and potential extra-articular manifestations. We aimed to assess the levels of anti-carbamylated protein (anti-CarP) antibodies in RA patients and evaluate their utility as a diagnostic biomarker, as well as their correlation with disease activity and severity, within a population from Assiut Governorate, Egypt. Patients and methods This case-control study enrolled 50 RA patients, aged 28–55 years, who fulfilling the 2010 ACR/EULAR classification criteria, and 50 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. All participants underwent a comprehensive clinical evaluation. Laboratory investigations included measurement of rheumatoid factor (RF), anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP), and anti-CarP antibodies. Results The sensitivity for diagnosing RA was highest for RF (70%), compared with anti-CCP (52%) and anti-CarP (56%; P <0.001, P =0.002, respectively). Conversely, anti-CCP and anti-CarP demonstrated higher specificities (94 and 84%, respectively) than RF (80%). Anti-CarP antibody levels showed significant positive correlations with multiple indices of disease activity and severity. Conclusion Anti-CarP antibodies exhibit high specificity and a significant association with disease severity in RA patients, supporting their potential role as a complementary serological marker for prognosis and disease monitoring.