BIOCHEMICAL EVALUATION OF PROINFLAMMATORY MARKER UPREGULATION AND ITS ROLE IN THE PATHOGENESIS AND DIAGNOSTIC BIOMARKERS OF RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease primarily affecting joints, leading to significant inflammation, joint destruction, and functional impairment. The pathogenesis of RA is characterized by immune system dysregulation, causing an overproduction of proinflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and reactive oxygen species (ROS), which contribute to tissue damage. This study aims to evaluate the biochemical changes, specifically the upregulation of proinflammatory markers, and their role in the disease's pathogenesis and diagnostic biomarkers. The study included 50 patients with RA and 50 healthy controls, all recruited from the Department of Orthopedics at Allama Iqbal Medical College in Lahore, Pakistan. Biochemical analysis was conducted to evaluate various oxidative and inflammatory markers, including malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH), catalase, nitric oxide (NO), and antioxidant vitamins (C, E, and A). The results revealed significantly elevated levels of MDA (5.47±1.22 in RA patients vs. 0.86±0.0392 in controls, p=0.014), NO (32.16±6.58 in RA vs. 17.85±3.58 in controls, p=0.001), and a significant decrease in key antioxidants: SOD (0.112±0.0018 in RA vs. 1.034±0.056 in controls, p=0.025), GSH (4.43±1.28 in RA vs. 7.26±1.99 in controls, p=0.011), catalase (3.47±1.088 in RA vs. 5.23±1.45 in controls, p=0.004), and vitamins C (1.28±0.956 in RA vs. 3.48±0.956 in controls, p=0.018), E (6.35±1.44 in RA vs. 10.49±4.29 in controls, p=0.031), and A (254.98±21.58 in RA vs. 452.35±19.65 in controls, p=0.016). These findings underscore the critical role of oxidative stress and proinflammatory cytokines in RA’s progression. The results suggest that assessing these biomarkers could offer valuable insights for early detection, monitoring disease progression, and developing more effective treatments for RA.