Published Paper Details:

Abstract Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has become a chronic autoimmune and inflammatory disorder, which primarily targets the synovial joints and causes their progressive destruction of cartilage and bones. The mechanism of the underlying pathogenesis of RA is a complex interplay between immune dysregulation, continued inflammation, and oxidative stress. Some of the potent key factors of RA include autoantibodies like rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP), which are crucial in the early detection of the disease and prognosis of its state. Oxidative stress biomarkers such as Malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO) and antioxidant levels, like Vitamin E, have been hypothesised to be linked with immune-induced damage to joints and autoantibody production through recent evidence. This study was aimed at examining the correlation between the serum markers of oxidative stress and autoantibody levels in RA patients of the Vindhan region of Central India. A total number of 100 RA patients who were diagnosed according to ACR/EULAR criteria and 100 age and sex-matched healthy controls were included. The spectrophotometric assay was used to measure serum levels of MDA, NO as well as Vitamin E, whereas levels of RF and anti-CCP were quantified by ELISA. The results revealed increased levels of MDA and NO, while the level of Vitamin E was significantly decreased in RA patients as compared to controls. Notable, MDA and NO levels correlated positively with RF and anti-CCP titers; while Vitamin E was inverse. These observations indicate the pathogenic relationship that exists between oxidative stress and autoimmunity in RA. Among resource-limited settings, oxidative stress markers can also take the role of affordable complements to autoantibody tests for early diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment choice. Keywords: Anti-CCP, Malondialdehyde, Oxidative stress, Rheumatoid arthritis, Vitamin E