Anti-Ccp Testing For Rheumatiod Arthritis

Extensive evidence has established that anti-CCP has a moderately high sensitivity, a high specificity, and is a strong predictor of future erosive arthritis. The test is useful in confirming the diagnosis of RA in patients with early disease, especially when the criteria for a diagnosis of RA are not met by other clinical or laboratory measures. Early identification of patients with RA is important, since early treatment with DMARDs can prevent progression of destructive arthritis and improve functional status. The use of antiCCP for diagnosing RA has been incorporated into the latest diagnostic criteria for RA developed by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR). The evidence suggests that anti-CCP is not useful as a measure of disease activity and/or response to treatment. As a result, the use of anti-CCP is considered medically necessary for the diagnosis of RA and is considered investigational for monitoring disease activity in RA. <a id="