NICE guidelines now recommend testing for anti-CCP, a highly specific marker for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), in the management of patients with suspected RA where tests for rheumatoid factor (RF) are negative¹.

The Elecsys® Anti-CCP assay from Roche is one of the first fully automated, second generation tests for the determination of human IgG autoantibodies to cyclic citrullinated peptides (anti-CCP) in serum or plasma. Unlike other RA markers, such as RF and c-reactive protein (CRP), anti-CCP is the only highly specific assay for RA and can predict the eventual development of RA when found in undifferentiated arthritis. The Elecsys® Anti-CCP assay provides excellent precision² from a small sample volume (15µl), ensuring reliable results in just 18 minutes.

The Elecsys® Anti-CCP assay is a valuable diagnostic and prognostic marker for RA and is available on the Roche MODULAR Analytics, cobas® 6000 and cobas® 4000 systems. Clinical laboratories can therefore consolidate testing for different autoimmune tests (anti-CCP, anti-TG, anti-TSHR and anti-TPO), RF and CRP on a single serum work area (SWA) platform.

With 183 different assays, Roche offers the largest menu of tests available for an automated SWA (including one of the most complete immunology test portfolios), allowing laboratories to perform a larger range of tests in-house and on a single platform. For further information please telephone the Roche Centralised Diagnostics team on 01444 256750.

References

1. NICE Clinical Guideline 79. Rheumatoid arthritis: the management of rheumatoid arthritis in adults. February 2009.

2. Gobeaux, C., Goulvestre, C., Ekindjian, O.G. et al. Elecsys® Anti-CCP - an automated assay for aid in the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis. Poster presentation, available from Roche Diagnostics, Burgess Hill, UK.

NOTES FOR EDITORS

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, inflammatory autoimmune disorder that affects approximately 1% of the population in the UK and Ireland. The condition is often severely disabling, causing a loss of mobility due to pain and joint destruction.

RA is diagnosed according to clinical manifestations and laboratory investigations. Common laboratory tests for RA include assays for rheumatoid factor (Rf), c-reactive protein (CRP) and antibodies to cyclic citrullinated protein (anti-CCP). RF is non-specific for RA, since it may be present in healthy elderly persons or patients with other autoimmune or infectious diseases, and CRP is a general inflammation marker. Anti-CCP, on the other hand, is highly specific for RA.

About Roche

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