Serum IgG anti-native type II collagen antibodies in rheumatoid arthritis: association with HLA DR4 and lack of clinical correlation.

Serum anti-type II collagen antibodies were measured in 85 rheumatoid arthritis patients before and after treatment with disease modifying drugs. These patients were also serotyped for HLA class II antigens. High anti-type II collagen antibodies (anti-CII) were detected in 35% and 29% of patients at onset and completion of study, respectively. Eighty percent of patients with high anti-CII initially had HLA DR4 (p less than 0.05). There was no correlation of anti-CII levels with severity of disease or response to treatment.