The Correlation Study between Serum Concentrations of pro- inflammatory cytokines and acute phase markers in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients in AL-Najaf Governorate

Abstract

ABSTRACTRheumatoid arthritis is a common autoimmune disease of the musculoskeletalsystem that is associated with considerable morbidity and diminished quality of life. Serumsamples were obtained from 70 patients with RA who had visited the Division ofRheumatology at AL-Sadder Teaching Hospital in AL- AL-Najaf City and 25 age- and sex-matched healthy controls, and the clinical parameters of disease were assessed, includingerythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), and rheumatoid factor (RF).Serum concentrations of IL-6, (TNF-α), (IL)-1α, (IL)-8 and serum level of ferritin weremeasured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Serum concentrations ofIL-6, (TNF-α), (IL)-1α, and (IL)-8 were significantly elevated (P<0.0001) in patients withRA compared to those of healthy controls. Serum levels of ferritin were also significantlyelevated (P<0.0001) in patients with RA compared to those of healthy controls. There were agood significant correlation between these cytokines and acute phase markers. It has beenconcluded that the serum concentrations of IL-6, (TNF-α), (IL)-1α, and (IL)-8 were sig-nificantly elevated in patients with RA and strongly correlated with acute phase markers.These findings suggest a possible role for these cytokines in the pathogenesis of RA.