Pattern of Joint Involvement, Inflammatory Markers, and Autoantibodies Among Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Attending Rizgary Teaching Hospital

Volume 15 , Issue 2 , December 2025 , Pages 193-2024

Authors

Hazha Mohammed Abdul 1 ; Masar Gliana 2

1 Department of internal medicine/ rheumatology Institute/ hawler medical university

2 Internal Medicine, Hawler Medical University, Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq

DOI logo 10.17656/jsmc.10503

Keywords

Abstract

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disorder. Early initiation of treatment is essential, and the presence of autoantibodies (RF, anti-CCP) and elevated inflammatory markers plays a central role in diagnosis. Objective: This study aims to explore the relationship between joint involvement patterns and inflammatory markers and autoantibody profiles  in newly diagnosed RA patients.

Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2024 to March 2025 at Rizgary Teaching Hospital in Erbil, Iraq. In this study, 60 recently diagnosed patients with RA, aged 18-70 years old, were included based on the criteria reported on the 2010 ACR/EULAR RA criteria. Patients underwent clinical assessments, including joint involvement patterns and disease activity (DAS28), and laboratory tests for ESR, CRP, RF, and anti-CCP levels.

Results: Compared with asymmetrical oligoarthritis, patients with symmetrical polyarthritis had higher ESR  and CRP. RF positivity was more frequent in the symmetrical group, while anti-CCP did not differ . In multivariable logistic regression adjusting for age, sex, BMI, disease duration, and ESR, higher CRP  and RF positivity  independently predicted symmetrical polyarthritis; ESR (p = 0.176) and anti-CCP (p = 0.528) were not independent predictors.

Conclusion: CRP and RF are independent correlates of the symmetrical polyarthritis phenotype in early RA, whereas ESR and anti-CCP were not independently associated after adjustment. These findings support integrating CRP and RF with clinical patterns when assessing early disease activity and phenotype

 

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