Introduction:

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease of unknown causes in which the presence of different genetic alterations is invoked. Seropositive cases with a higher risk of appearance of extra-articular manifestations and complications of the disease are described.

Objective:

To identify the relationship between the presence of genetic alterations and autoantibody positivity in patients diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis.

Methods:

Basic, non-experimental, cross-sectional and descriptive research with a universe of 157 patients diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis according to the criteria of the American College of Rheumatology. The sample was made up of a total of 113 patients. As part of the laboratory follow-up of each patient, the presence of rheumatoid factor and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies was determined, and a genetic study was performed to identify the presence of HLA-DR3 and HLA-DR4. The nonparametric Pearson's correlation test was used to determine the correlation between the identification of HLA types and seropositivity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Results:

Average age of 58.74 years with a predominance of female patients (72.57%). 38.05% presented at least one associated comorbidity. Rheumatoid factor was positive in 60.18% of the patients, while positive anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide was identified in 41.59% of the cases studied. Genetic pattern alterations were identified in 66.37% of the patients; HLA-DR4 was present independently in 38.67% of the positive cases and combined with HLA-DR3 in 20.66%.

Conclusion:

A considerable positive correlation was identified between alterations in the genetic pattern and seropositivity. The presence of genetic pattern alterations triples the risk of seropositivity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

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