Pathology tests database

Sample and container requirements

Serum

Minimum volume required

4 mL Blood

Special requirements

none

Patient preparation

None

Sample viability

Store at 4oC

Turnaround time

5 days

Reference range

0.0-10.0 u/mL

Clinical guidance

Anti CCP antibodies have been identified as specific for Rheumatoid arthritis in patients who present with clinical features of arthritis. Their utility as a screening test is less certain. If RA is suspected clinically referral to Rheumatology should be made regardless of serology results.Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most common form of inflammatory joint disease, but its diagnosis remains principally a clinical one. The major challenge lies in differentiating RA from the many other forms of arthritis that share several presenting symptoms but vary widely both in outcomes and therapeutic options. With a growing body of evidence indicating that joint destruction and functional decline in RA are improved by early, aggressive therapeutic intervention, the need for an unequivocal early diagnosis has become critical. NICE guidance for the management of rheumatoid athritis (RA) in adults recommends that the initial investigation carried out should be rheumatoid factor (RF). If RF is negative and it is still suspected that a patient has RA, a referral to a specialist should be made who can utilise Cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies (CCP) as part of the clinical assessment. CCP antibodies have been shown to be highly specific for RA and appear early in the disease process when diagnosis is most difficult and intervention most effective. CCP antibody measurement is of value in confirming the diagnosis of RA in patients with atypical presentation, excluding a diagnosis of RA in patients where the RF is positive but the clinical features are equivocal and also as an indicator of early RA. https://labtestsonline.org.uk/tests/ccp

Notes