Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease associated with decreased antioxidant state .This study aim to investigate the status of oxidant/antioxidant in a sample of  Iraqi patients with RA and the role of peroxynitrite and its natural scavenger uric acid in them .This case-controlled study was conducted at Baghdad teaching hospital /Baghdad from December 2010-May 2011 . Twenty-five patients with mean age 39 years and 25 apparently healthy subject as controls with mean age 29 years were included in the study .Investigations include estimation of serum levels of nitric oxide (NO)  ,peroxynitrite (PN) , malondialdehyde (MDA)  , and uric acid (UA) .Serum PN levels were significantly elevated in RA patients a

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease, where the normal joint tissues attacked by body’s immune system, causing their inflammation. Cluster of Differentiation 69 (CD69) is a human transmembrane C-Type lectin protein encoded by the CD69 gene. It’s expression was induced by activation (in vivo and in vitro) of T lymphocytes and Natural Killer (NK) Cells. As CD69 early activation has been implicated in the pathogenesis of some inflammatory diseases, its expression on peripheral blood T-lymphocytes must be evaluated.
Objective: To evaluate the expression of CD69 on peripheral blood T-lymphocytes in RA Iraqi patients. 
Patients and methods: This study carried out between March 2

mucosal secretions as well as in secondary granules of polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Anti-Elastase antibodies, anti-Lactoferrin antibodies,anti-Cathapsin G antibodies and anti-Lysozyme antibodies, which belong to Perinuclear Anti-Neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibodies(pANCA) have been described in several immunomediated diseases, including Rheumatoid Arthritis .
Objectives: Investigate the prevalence of anti-Elastase antibodies, anti-Lactoferrin antibodies,anti-Cathapsin G antibodies , anti- Lysozyme antibodies and rheumatoid factor in patients with rheumatoid arthritis in comparison to healthy control.
Patients &Methods: The study involved 40 Rheumatoid Arthritis patients who were referred to Immunolog

Rheumatoid arthritis is a worldwide inflammatory chronic autoimmune disease with varying severity. Due to no definitive cure for this disease, current therapies aim to decrease the pain and slow further damage. The interleukin (IL)‐36 cytokine was little known for its role in rheumatoid arthritis; this research aimed to evaluate the serum IL36 levels in RA patients compared to healthy controls. This study included 80 patients with rheumatoid arthritis registered at the Rheumatology Clinic in Baghdad teaching hospital. The patients were divided into three groups based on the treatments received. Group 1 included patients treated with biological therapy (etanercept, adalimumab), Group2 patients with non-biological treatment (methotr

Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the common chronic disease, which lead to great disability and chronic pain, and has a main adverse economic and social effect upon patients. The reason for the addition of quality of life as a pointer for health outcome result is attributed to the affectability of this measure for the evaluation of patient's health status after taken treatment and its health outcome. The purpose of the current study was to assess quality of life among a sample of Iraqi patients with rheumatoid arthritis and to determine the possible association between health’s related quality of life and some patient-certain factors. This study is a cross-sectional study carried out on 250 already diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis pat

Background: Cytokines produced by inflammatory cells play a pivotal role in synovial inflammation and joint destruction in rheumatoid arthritis.
Patients and Methods: The cytokine serum levels were measured by EASIA (Enzyme amplified sensitivity immunoassay) in sera from 50 RA patients, and 40 healthy donors. Cytokine levels were compared in different RA subpopulations (positive or negative rheumatoid factor (RF), long term or recent onset disease, high or low disease activity). In addition, the possible association with other demographic and clinical parameters (gender, age, etc) was also analyzed.
Results: It was demonstrated that IL-2, IL-6 and IFN-δ levels were elevated in serum samples of RA pati

Over the last few years the role of microorganisms in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis has been widely discussed.  Advance in basic science have established a fundamental role for inflammation immediating all stages of cardiovascular diseases. Chlamydia pneumoniae activates immune cells to produce cytokines such us TNF-α that are important contributor to atherosclerosis. All blood samples were assayed for molecular detection of Chlamydia pneumoniae by using conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) relying on16SrRNAand the level of serum TNF-α measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).Seventy patients who suffering from CVD (angina, myocardial Infarction and atherosclerosis) aged between 33-86 y

      Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a class of diseases that involve the blood vessels or heart. Chlamydia pneumoniae has been considered as the most reasonable; also, it is able to increase and persevere inside vascular cells and to make the chronic inflammation in atherosclerosis. In this study, blood samples were subjected for molecular detection of Chlamydia pneumoniae by using conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) depending on 16S rRNA. Seventy patients who suffer from cardiovascular diseases (angina, myocardial infarction and atherosclerosis) aged between 33-86

Background:
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, inflammatory autoimmune disorder that causes the immune system to attack the joints. It is a disabling and painful inflammatory condition, which can lead to substantial loss of mobility due to pain and joint destruction. RA is a systemic disease, often affecting extra-articular tissues throughout the body including the skin, blood vessels, heart, lungs, and muscles. 
Patients and Methods: Enzyme immunoassay for Determination of human TNF- , IL-1 and GM-CSF in serumsamples from50 patients with a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis
Results: of cytokines showed a significant increase in TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta and GM-CSF in patients with rheumatoid arthrit

      Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory condition causing joint pain and stiffness, with often debilitating and life-limiting consequences. Recently, a new B-cell secreted cytokine, IL-39, was identified in mice. The most up-to-date research indicates that although IL-39 is expressed in murine models of lupus and has a role in mediating the inflammatory response in this context, there is no solid, replicated evidence of the existence of IL-39 in humans. This study aimed to clarify the existence and role of IL-39 in the human body and to elucidate whether it plays a role in rheumatoid arthritis. Accordingly, serum samples were collected from 66 patients with rheumatoid arthritis who were under therapy and from 66 healthy c