Background: Anti-RA33 antibodies and anti-CCP antibodies are highly specific markers for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but are not detectable in all RA patients.

Anti-RA33 antibodies are directed to the heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A2 (hnRNP-A2),while anti-CCP antibodies are directed to modified epitope on proteins that undergo conversion of amino acid arginine to citrullin by citrullination.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to show the correlation between anti-RA33 antibodies, anti-CCP antibodies and rheumatoid factor (RF) in terms of sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis in Iraqi patients.

Subjects and methods: This s

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

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

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) characterized by local and systemic effects of inflammation has a wide range of biochemical markers implicated directly or indirectly to its pathogenesis.

Patients and method: Serum of (55 Females) of newly diagnosed RA and 23 healthy Females were used to estimate their interlukine levels.Objective: To evaluate interlukine 35 (IL-35) in Iraqi females with newly diagnosed
RA and to assess its contribution in the disease process.

Results: Females of RA showed a significant increase in the levels of interleukine 35(IL-35) and in the levels of High Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (hs CRP). While there

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease characterized by chronic synovial inflammation. The insufficient immune clearance of the apoptotic cell results into the formation of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies which may play a critical role in the initiations of inflammatory responses. These antibodies together with Matrix Metalloproteinase-3 play an important role in joint destruction in rheumatoid arthritis disease.
Objectives: to study the value of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies, and Matrix Metalloproteinase-3 in differentiation between active and inactive rheumatoid arthritis.
Patients and Methods: A cross- sectional study was conducted on 60 Iraqi patients with rheumatoid arthritis (16

Background: Perinuclear Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Autoantibodies (pANCA) have been found in patients with rheumatiod arthritis. Cathepsin G was the major target antigen.The present study was to investigate the unknown target antigen of ANCA (Cathapsin G ) in patients with rheumatiod arthritis Objective: This study is to investigate the prevalence of anti-Cathapsin G and rheumatoid factor in Iraqi patients with rheumatiod arthritis.
Patienties&Methods: From1st January until 30 June of 2011 fourty five rheumatiod arthritis patients referred to the immunological department in the teaching laboratory of medical city and twenty five apparently healthy individual used as a control group were investeged to

Collagen triple helix repeat containing-1 (CTHRC1) is an essential marker for Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), but its relationship with pro-inflammatory, anti-inflammatory, and inflammatory markers has been scantily covered in extant literature. To evaluate the level of CTHRC1 protein in the sera of 100 RA patients and 25 control and compare levels of tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin 10 (IL-10), RA disease activity (DAS28), and inflammatory factors. Higher significant serum levels of CTHRC1 (29.367 ng/ml), TNF-α (63.488 pg/ml), and IL-10 (67.1 pg/ml) were found in patient sera as compared to that in control sera (CTHRC1 = 15.732 ng/ml, TNF-α = 33.788 pg/ml, and IL-10 = 25.122 pg/ml). There was no significant correlation be

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory disease of unknown etiology characterized by joint inflammation and the presence of autoantibodies, mostly Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody (ACCP) which are released when the body loses its ability to distinguish between self and foreign molecules. Serum amyloid A2 (SAA2) is an acute phase protein produced in response to inflammatory conditions including RA.

Objectives: To investigate the prognostic ability of SAA2 in comparison with ACCP and the prediction of disease activity and response to treatment by Methotrexate and Etanercept in Iraqi RA patients.  

Patients and methods: A case control study, on a to

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that affects mainly the synovial membranes and articular structures and is characterized by chronic, systemic inflammation involving multiple joints.Being a synovial joint, the Temporomandibular Joint is subject to the same disorders affecting other synovial joints, including RA.Beside it was considered as a specific serological marker for diagnosing RA disease ,antibodies to cyclic citrullinated peptide have proven to be associated with joints destruction, though; it may play a potential role in the prediction of the disease severity. Materials and Methods: Sixty nine individuals (69) were enrolled in this study, forty nine (49) were patients diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis, a

            Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systematic autoimmune disorder with chronic inflammation changes of unknown etiology. Various synovial inflammatory and proliferative alterations may contribute to the cartilaginous tissues and invasive bony tissues, leading to destructive joints and malformed bones. This disease is mostly due to infective microorganisms or genetic susceptibility causing immune system disturbances through triggering both T-cells and B-cells. Furthermore, different immune cells may secret cytokines, which are responsible for some RA pathogenesis activity. From ninety individuals, serum sample was collected; thirty of them were normal and sixty cases were patients with RA attended a privet medical clin