Positive antikeratin antibodies indicate possible rheumatoid arthritis.
Antikeratin antibodies (AKA), also known as antifilamentous agglutinin antibodies, have a very low rate of positive detection in patients with autoimmune diseases other than rheumatoid arthritis. Since the appearance of antikeratin antibodies can often precede the clinical manifestations of the disease, they are clinically important for the early diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis.
Antikeratin antibody (AKA), anti-perinuclear factor (APF) and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) can complement each other, and the positivity rate of the three indexes is significantly higher than that of any two indexes. Therefore, when antikeratin antibody positivity is detected, the other two antibodies should be tested together for an earlier and more accurate diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis.
It is recommended that patients with positive antikeratin antibodies should consult the rheumatology and immunology department in a timely manner for a definitive diagnosis under the guidance of a doctor.