Key clinical point: Age is an independent contributor to seronegative rheumatoid arthritis (RA), with the effect being prominent in females but not in males.
Major finding: Rates of rheumatoid factor (RF) and anticyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) positivity and RF/anti-CCP double positivity declined significantly with an increase in age at RA diagnosis (all P < .001). The age at disease onset was independently associated with RF (odds ratio [OR] 0.980; P < .001) and anti-CCP (OR 0.976; P < .001) positivity in patients with RA, with both the associations being significant in women (RF positivity: OR 0.979; P < .001; anti-CCP positivity: OR 0.970; P < .001) but not in men.
Study details: This was a cohort study including 1685 patients with RA (mean age at diagnosis, 51.9 years), of which 83.4% were women.
Disclosures: This study did not receive any funding. The authors declared no conflict of interests.
Source: Takanashi S et al. Impacts of ageing on rheumatoid factor and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody positivity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. J Rheumatol . 2022 (Nov 1). Doi: 10.3899/jrheum.220526