@article {Alpizar-Rodriguez590, author = {Deshire Alpizar-Rodriguez and Till Robin Lesker and Achim Gronow and Beno{\^\i}t Gilbert and Elena Raemy and Celine Lamacchia and Cem Gabay and Axel Finckh and Till Strowig}, title = { Prevotella copri in individuals at risk for rheumatoid arthritis}, volume = {78}, number = {5}, pages = {590--593}, year = {2019}, doi = {10.1136/annrheumdis-2018-214514}, publisher = {BMJ Publishing Group Ltd}, abstract = {Objectives Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been associated with a relative expansion of faecal Prevotellaceae. To determine the microbiome composition and prevalence of Prevotella spp. in a group of individuals at increased risk for RA, but prior to the development of the disease.Methods In an ongoing cohort study of first-degree relatives (FDRs) of patients with RA, we identified {\textquoteleft}FDR controls{\textquoteright}, asymptomatic and without autoantibodies, and individuals in pre-clinical RA stages, who had either developed anticitrullinated peptide antibodies or rheumatoid factor positivity and/or symptoms and signs associated with possible RA. Stool sampling and culture-independent microbiota analyses were performed followed by descriptive statistics and statistical analyses of community structures.Results A total of 133 participants were included, of which 50 were categorised as {\textquoteleft}FDR controls{\textquoteright} and 83 in {\textquoteleft}pre-clinical RA stages{\textquoteright}. The microbiota of individuals in {\textquoteleft}pre-clinical RA stages{\textquoteright} was significantly altered compared with FDR controls. We found a significant enrichment of the bacterial family Prevotellaceae, particularly Prevotella spp., in the {\textquoteleft}pre-clinical RA{\textquoteright} group (p=0.04).Conclusions Prevotella spp. enrichment in individuals in pre-clinical stages of RA, before the onset of RA, suggests a role of intestinal dysbiosis in the development of RA.}, issn = {0003-4967}, URL = {https://ard.bmj.com/content/78/5/590}, eprint = {https://ard.bmj.com/content/78/5/590.full.pdf}, journal = {Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases} }