Background: Despite the importance of vaccines in preventing COVID-19, the willingness to receive COVID-19 vaccines is lower among RA patients than in the general population. Objective: To determine the extent of COVID-19 knowledge among RA patients and their attitudes and perceptions of COVID-19 vaccines. Methods: A qualitative study with a phenomenology approach was performed through face-to-face, individual-based, semi-structured interviews in the Baghdad Teaching Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq, rheumatology unit. A convenient sample of RA patients using disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs was included until the point of saturation. A thematic content analysis approach was used to analyze the obtained data. Results: Twenty-five RA pa

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

ackground An autoimmune and inflammatory illness called rheumatoid arthritis (RA) occurs when your immune system mistakenly attacks normal cells in your body. Interleukin-35 is a brand-new cytokine that belongs to the immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory IL-12 family. β -herpesvirus that produces inflammation and stays dormant in its host for life is the human cytomegalovirus. Human herpesvirus (HCMV) has been at the core of several RA-related theories. Objective The current study looked at the association between RA and serum IL-35 levels as well as the association between RA and CMV. Patients and methods Blood samples were taken in the Baghdad Teaching Hospital and Typical Rheumatology Unit from January 2022 to Mars 2022 for the curre

To determine the role of Epstien barr virus (EBV) in the pathogenesis of Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) , Reactive arthritis (ReA) and Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients, sixty-two patients (52 patients with RA ,five patients with ReA and five patients with AS) have been investigated. The mean age (47.3, 47.7, 34.5) of RA, ReA , AS respectively and compared to 24 apparently healthy individuals with the mean age 28.3. All the study groups were carried out to measure antibodies of EBV (VCA) IgG and IgM by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique. The result showed that there was a highly significant elevation ( p< 0.01) in the concentration of EBV (VCA) IgG Ab compared to control group, while there was no significant different (

Background: Patients with rheumatoid arthritis show predominance of metabolic disorder characterized by overweight, central obesity, dyslipidemia, and impaired glucose tolerance, specifically, few studies have explained insulin resistance in this disease.
Objective: The aim of the present study is to examine insulin resistance and the risk of developing diabetes mellitus in middle age Iraqi women with early rheumatoid arthritis.
Patients and methods: This work involved seventy female with early rheumatoid arthritis. Who was attending to the National Diabetic Center (NDC) of Al-Mustansiriya University and 35 healthy subjects as a control group. From all subjects blood sample was drawn in fasting state to measure the biochemical para

The prolactin hormone played role in the many autoimmune disorders. To determine the importance of high levels of prolactin in triggering rheumatoid arthritis, thirty patient's women with hyperprolactinemia aged (20-45) years old have been investigated and compared with twenty five healthy individuals. All the studied groups were carried out to measure the concentration of citrulinated peptide(CCP) by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay( ELISA), antikeratin antibodies (AKA)and antinuclear antibodies(ANA) by indirect fluorescent assay IFAT. There was a significant elevation of CCP concentration compared with control groups (P< 0.05). The percentage of antikeratin antibodies and antinuclear antibodies was (20%, 10%) respectively, and

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

   This study is planned to find relationship between interleukin-33 (IL-33) with its receptor interleukin-1 receptor 4 (IL-1R4), and assurance IL-33/IL-1R4 proportion as biomarker to atherosclerosisin rheumatoid arthritis (RA) Iraqi females patients with and without dyslipidemia. This study was attempted at Baghdad Teaching Hospital included 60 females patients with RA that were isolated into: 30 patients with dyslipidemia(G2), 30 patients without dyslipidemia(G3) and 30 individual as control group (G1) .Patients were experiencing treatment by methortexiene medication, analyzed by rheumatoid factor(RF) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate( ESR) tests. All patients and control groups age ranged from (30-55) years. The results sho

This study is planned to find relationship between interleukin-33 (IL-33) with its receptor interleukin-1 receptor 4 (IL-1R4), and assurance IL-33/IL-1R4 proportion as biomarker to atherosclerosisin rheumatoid arthritis (RA) Iraqi female’s patients with and without dyslipidemia. This study was attempted at Baghdad Teaching Hospital included 60 female’s patients with RA that were isolated into: 30 patients with dyslipidemia(G2), 30 patients without dyslipidemia(G3) and 30 individuals as control group (G1). Patients were experiencing treatment by methortexiene medication, analyzed by rheumatoid factor (RF) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) tests. All patients and control groups age ranged from (30-55) years. The results show an inc