SAT0018 Inflammatory Cytokines and Autoantibodies Discriminate Between Different Stages of Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Strategy for Classification

BackgroundRheumatoid arthritis (RA) is characterized by inflammation and circulating autoantibodies. Inflammatory cytokines and autoantibodies had been described as important molecules in the immunopathogenesis of the disease. However, whether inflammatory cytokines and autoantibodies together can discriminate between early RA, chronic RA and preclinical stages is currently unknown.ObjectivesTo evaluate the levels of the cytokines IL-1, IL-6, TNF, IL-8, IL12p70 and IL-10 and the autoantibodies RF and antibodies to cyclic citrullinated peptides (ACCP) to determine the expression differences between humans with clinical and preclinical stages of RA.MethodsSerum from patients with less than 2 years of diagnosis, eRA (n=10) and patients with chronic RA with more than 2 years with the disease (cRA; n=10) were collected. All cRA patients had received treatment with DMARD's. Serum sample from eRA patients treated for 4 months were collected for comparison as well (n=6). First-degree relatives of patients with RA were stratified in positive (ACCP+; n=12) or negative (ACCP-; n=12) to ACCP. Subjects without family history of autoimmune diseases were included in a healthy control group (HC; n=10). Serum levels of ACCP were evaluated using ELISA and RF was measured by nephelometry. Cytokines levels for each group were quantified by BD™ cytometric bead array in a FACS CANTO II. Statistical analysis for group comparisons was done using the Kruskal-Wallis or wilcoxon test for non-parametric data. p