Method Upgraded: Early Detection of Rheumatoid Arthritis More Accurate

The Anti-Cyclic Citrullinated Peptide Antibody (Anti-CCP) test will effectively improve the accuracy of early detection of rheumatoid arthritis, enabling early diagnosis and intervention of the disease.

What is Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease primarily characterized by erosive arthritis and can occur at any age. The exact mechanism of RA is currently unclear, but research suggests that it may be related to autoimmunity, genetics, infection, smoking, and other factors. The basic pathological features include synovitis, pannus formation, and the gradual destruction of joint cartilage and bone, ultimately leading to joint deformity and functional loss. It can be complicated by pulmonary diseases, cardiovascular diseases, malignancies, and depression.

Common Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis

The general symptoms often develop gradually, including fatigue, poor appetite (reduced food intake and lack of desire to eat), weight loss, and low-grade fever. Joint symptoms are most commonly manifested as symmetrical, polyarticular, and small joint swelling and pain, primarily affecting the interphalangeal joints, metacarpophalangeal joints, and wrist joints, leading to limited range of motion, spindle-shaped swelling of finger joints, and eventually deformity in advanced stages.

• Morning stiffness: Stiffness in the affected joints after a period of inactivity, particularly in the morning, with difficulty making a fist. The duration often corresponds to the activity level of the disease. Extra-articular manifestations such as rheumatoid nodules can occur at joint prominences and may persist for months to years, indicating disease activity.

• Systemic manifestations: Some patients may experience conditions like pleurisy, interstitial pneumonia, pericarditis, superficial lymphadenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly, etc., during disease activity.

Due to its incurable nature and severe impact on patients' quality of life, early diagnosis, timely control, and standardized treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are particularly important for patients! Foreign studies have shown that early diagnosis and early treatment of RA are fundamental measures to prevent or delay joint structural damage and improve prognosis, potentially avoiding or significantly delaying the progression of joint damage in about 90% of early RA patients.

From RF to Anti-CCP

Currently, screening methods for rheumatoid arthritis mainly include joint examinations, blood tests, and imaging studies.

In blood tests, the rheumatoid factor (RF), part of the "rheumatic factor triad", is the most common diagnostic marker for screening and distinguishing rheumatoid arthritis (RA). While it has some diagnostic implications for RA, its specificity is not high.

With the continuous development of immunological testing technologies and in-depth research on RA-related autoantibodies, the Anti-Cyclic Citrullinated Peptide Antibody (Anti-CCP) has emerged in researchers' view. Due to its better diagnostic performance, it was included in the RA classification criteria promulgated by the American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism in 2010, and it holds significant importance in the early diagnosis of RA.

The "Consensus of Experts on the Clinical Application of Autoantibody Detection in Rheumatoid Arthritis" jointly released in 2021 by the Autoantibody Testing Professional Committee of the Rheumatology and Immunology Physicians Branch of the Chinese Medical Doctor Association, National Rheumatism Data Center, and National Clinical Research Center for Skin and Immune Diseases, points out that automated and quantitative detection methods are the inevitable trend for future antibody testing development.

In this context, Hotgen's RA test kit provides an efficient, accurate, and quantitative testing method for clinical applications. It can detect the Anti-Cyclic Citrullinated Peptide Antibody (Anti-CCP), assisting doctors in better evaluating and diagnosing rheumatoid arthritis. With its automation, standardization, and high sensitivity, Hotgen's RA test kit can provide reliable support for early screening and monitoring, promoting accurate diagnosis and personalized treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.