Cyclic Citrullinated Pep IgG

[kmil1999]

Ok, last try.  I have this similar post on a couple of other forums, but no replies at all.  

I have a positive test 108 H (>60 strong positive).  I haven't been able to find a whole bunch of information on it.  I understand that it correlates to the likelihood of developing RA.  I really haven't been able to find out if it can be positive in other diseases or no disease process at all.

I have felt that I have had an autoimmune thing going on (as well as my GP) for quite awhile, just haven't found out which one.  ANA positive off and on 1:160 mixed pattern speckled, homogenous, RF and other autoimmune lab work is normal.  

Had an MRI with two spots on brain, but then next one was clear.  Kidneys - GFR has gone done to 53 and spill protein in 24 hour urine, but then everything comes back to normal.  

Have a lot of pain/stiffness and swelling in the morning or after prolonged periods of inactivity. Also, extreme fatique and various rashes along hairline off and on.

I tend to not do anything in the conventional way.  (ie:had exploritory OR because all tests were normal, but I continued to get sick and lose weight.  turned out to be a polyp in my gallbladder that was picked up on tests)

So, I guessing I won't have RA and it is something else or nothing at all.  Anyone know more about Cyclic Citrullinated Pep IgG?
thanks in advance,
Karen

[kmil1999]

Thanks for the reply.  I think the on and off of whatever this is the 2nd most infuriating thing about this.  The first of course is the docs telling you that everything is normal even when some labs are not.  (For example an 8am cortisol level of 3.6 and not one doc has tried to help with that, not even an endocrinologist).  I got a diagnosis of CFS in 1994.  I have been dealing with that.  However, my body is telling me something different is going on.  I am having no help if trying to figure out how to feel better.

Thanks again for the reply and your effort in looking things up for me.
Take Care,
Karen  

[karajo]

Hi Karen,

I'm not personally familiar with this test, but I did a little research on it.  Here are two articles that both say a positive test strongly predicts a future onset of RA w/ 100% accuracy.  It is referred as "anti CCP test".

http://www.mydigitalpublication.com/display_article.php?id=254046

http://arthritis-research.com/content/8/1/R19

Now concerning you other symptoms.  I"m not sure you don't have something else going on.  I would think you "could" have lupus.  Lupus can affect the kidney.  And it can affect it today and not tommorrow.  In other words, it can attack one area of your body, but not stay there.  So therefore, the indicator in your labwork being off and on.  But protein and a low GFR would concern me and I would think some further  testing would be in order.  Here is an article on that:
http://www.kidney.org/kidneydisease/ckd/knowGFR.cfm
GFR - glomerular filtration rate is the best test to measure your level of kidney function and determine your stage of kidney disease. Your doctor can calculate it from the results of your blood creatinine test, your age, race, gender and other factors.

You said you had an elevated ANA of 1:160.  This is considered a low titer.  The speckled pattern is seen in SLE (lupus) and numerous other autoimmune diseases as well as "healthy individuals.  Homogeneous pattern is seen priarily in SLE but also in other illnesses and in older adults.  My advice to you is to ask your dr. to check you ANA again, but this time spend some time in the sun an hour or two prior to your test.  If you have lupus, the sun exposure will cause an autoimmune response to occur and cause the ANA to jump up.

We already know you don't fall in the "healthy individual" catagory.  Something is going on.  These autoimmune diseases can make you feel like you are crazy.  One day you're dyeing and the next you feel like you could actually be somebody.  

I'm certainly not trying to say you have lupus, I just think they should look into all of what is going on much deeper.  The pain, stiffness, fatigue can all be related to RA, but they can also be related to lupus.  And a person can have more than one autoimmune diseases.

Praying for you Karen,
God bless, Kara