Evaluation of clinical and cytogenetic parameters in rheumatoid arthritis patients for effective diagnosis

BACKGROUND: Rheumatoid arthritis is the commonest inflammatory joint disease, affecting nearly 1% of the adult population worldwide. Early and accurate diagnosis and prognosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have become increasingly important. In the present study, we aimed to elucidate the relationships between hematological, biochemical, immunological and cytogenetic parameters in rheumatoid arthritis patients and healthy normal controls.
METHODS:The study group comprised of 126 RA patients and equal number of healthy normal control subjects. The blood wa s collected and analyzed for biochemical, immunological, enzymatic and cytogenetic parameters.
RESULTS: Results of the present study indicated that 20% of RA patient's hematological, 31% of biochemical and 70% immunological parameters had a significant difference from the controls and reference range. The RF and anti-CCP antibody levels were also positive in 70% of RA patients. A significant increase in minor chromosomal abnormalities was also observed in patients as compared to controls.
CONCLUSION: The knowledge about autoimmune diseases is very low among the South Indian population. The present study has thus helped in understanding the RA disease in a better way based on a pattern of various clinical markers of the disease condition which might help in planning therapeutic intervention strategies and create awareness about the disease management among RA patients of the population studied.
KEYWORDS: Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP); Rheumatoid arthritis (RA); Rheumatoid factor (RF)