The family history of rheumatoid arthritis in anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody-positive patient is not a predictor of poor clinical presentation and treatment response with modern classification criteria and treatment strategy: the ANSWER cohort study

This study aimed to determine whether a family history of RA is associated with a different clinical presentation of RA and treatment response. We retrospectively evaluated the demographic data and disease activity of newly diagnosed RA patients at baseline, 1  year, and 2 years after onset, using the ANSWER (Kansai consortium for the well-being of rheumatic disease patients) cohort data. Thirty-one patients (11.9%) among 260 newly diagnosed RA patients had a family history of RA up to second degree. There was no significant difference in the age at ons et, time from onset to first visit, sex, positivity or value of rheumatoid factor or anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody (ACPA), or disease activity between patients with and without a family history of RA. However, patients who had a family history of RA and were ACPA positive showed signifi cantly lower erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and C-reactive protein. Disease activity in patients with a family history was not worse at baseline, after 1 year or 2 years of treatment. The Larsen score 2 years after onset was equivalent between the patients with and without a family history of RA in ACPA-positive patients. Family history of RA in ACPA-positive patients is not associated with high disease activity at baseline and is not a predictor of poor outcome 2 years after onset.
Source: Rheumatology International - Category: Rheumatology Source Type: research