ACPA is the abbreviation for anti-citrullinated protein/peptide autoantibodies. ACPA are highly specific biomarkers for rheumatoid arthritis. Commercially available diagnostic tests are based on the native autoantigen mutated citrullinated vimentin (anti-MCV) or on synthetic citrullinated peptides (anti-CCP).
ACPA tests are integral components of the classification criteria for RA published by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) in 2010.
ACPA tests are performed in combination with testing for rheumatoid factor (RF) when clinical signs, such as symmetrical joint pain and inflammation point to the suspected diagnosis of RA, when a patient has joint inflammation or has been diagnosed with undifferentiated arthritis.
When patients’ sera test positive for both ACPA and RF, it is very likely that they have RA and it is likely that they may develop a more severe form of the disease. When patients are positive for ACPA alone and clinical signs suggest RA, then it is likely that they have early RA or that they will develop RA in the future.
ACPA may be detected in otherwise healthy people even years before onset of clinical RA. Their detection supports early detection and diagnosis of RA which is prerequisite for aggressive early treatment of the disease, preventing irreversible joint damage.
ACPA can be determined with various types of enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) provided by different manufacturers.
ACPA tests offered by ORGENTEC Diagnostika
ELISA/Alegria®:
Anti-CCP hs (high sensitive)® (ORG 601, ORG 301)
Anti-MCV® (ORG 548, ORG 248)
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