Serum Interleukin-17 and its Correlation with Anti-CCP antibodies, Vitamin D3, and Obesity in Rheumatoid Arthritis women Patients

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease. Members of the IL-17 cytokine family have various biological functions, including enhancing defense against multiple pathogens while promoting inflammatory pathology during autoimmune disease. Additionally, it has been suggested that vitamin D may be connected to the etiology of RA. Therefore, this study aimed to assess serum IL-17 and vitamin D3 concentrations in RA women and determine how these levels relate to anti-CCP, obesity, and age.Methods: This work included eighty women aged between (22-60) years. Sixty were afflicted with RA and attended the department of rheumatology and medical rehabilitation centre for rheumatic diseases at Rzgary teaching hospital-Erbil, Iraq, compared to twenty healthy women. The concentrations of Anti-CCP antibodies as a diagnostic test, Vitamin D3 and IL-17, were assessed by ELISA. The Mann-Whitney U test and normality were applied for the statistical analysis of the results. Also, the relationship between the study parameters was examined using Pearson's correlation.  The ideal cutoff value for IL-17 with the highest sensitivity and specificity was detected using a Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) Curve.   Results: This study revealed that serum IL-17 levels were significantly higher in RA women than in the control group (p < 0.001) and that serum VD3 levels were significantly lower in RA women than in healthy controls. Seropositive anti-CCP Ab was found in about 42% of RA patients.  The pro-inflammatory IL-17 serum level was positively correlated with vitamin D, age, and obesity in RA women. The best IL-17 cutoff for predicting the presence of RA was 69.5 pg/ML, with a sensitivity of 96% and a specificity of 75%. Conclusion: In patients with RA, vitamin D deficiency was common and correlated with age. Consequently, a high level of suspicion is needed when assessing at-risk patients, particularly women who complain of vitamin D deficiency

Burden of Parasitaemia, Falciparum Malaria and Serum Glucose, Urea and Creatinine among Patients in Abbs (Tehama-Hajjah), Yemen.

Hypoglycemia and kidney failure associated with malaria is common and depends to a large extent on the local prevalence of malaria. The present study is therefore aimed at assessment of glucose, creatinine, and urea in blood serum of Plasmodium falciparum malaria patients in 63 subjects with malaria parasitaemia were selected as test subject based on clinical symptoms and 30 healthy subjects without malaria infection were included as control subjects. The diagnosis of malaria was carried out by thin and thick blood films. The creatinine, urea and glucose were determined with malaria parasitaemia. P. falciparum malaria infection resulted in significant increase in serum urea and creatinine levels of patients with group mild, moderate and high parasitaemia when compared the respective healthy subject's. The serum glucose levels were significantly reduction with all groups parasitaemia. We conclude those kidney dysfunctions and hypoglycemia are clinical features of parasitaemia malaria. This study suggesting that hypoglycemia with malaria parasitaemia may be associated with status of renal impairment

Parasitaemia and Its Relation to Hematological Parameters and Liver Function among Patients Malaria in Abs, Hajjah, Northwest Yemen

Plasmodium falciparum malaria is the most common infection in Yemen. The present study aims to investigate changes in hematological and hepatic function indices of P. falciparum infected individuals. This study included 67 suspected falciparum malarial patients attended in clinics and rural Abs Hospital (Tehama, Hajjah), Yemen, from October 2013 to April 2014. The diagnosis of malaria was confirmed by thick and thin film with Giemsa staining of malaria parasite. Hematological parameters and serum levels of aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and bilirubin (total and direct) as test indicators of liver function were studied. Patients with parasitaemia tended to have significantly lower hemoglobin, hematocrit, white blood cell count, lymphocytes, and platelets, compared with healthy normal subjects. Neutrophils levels were significantly higher in cases of falciparum malaria in comparison to healthy normal subjects. Serums AST, ALT, ALP, and bilirubin (total and direct) in falciparum malaria patients were significantly higher (p<0.0001) than those of falciparum malaria of free individuals. Hematological and liver dysfunctions measured parameters were seen associated with moderate and severe parasitaemia infection. This study concludes that hematological and hepatic dysfunction parameters could be indicator of malaria in endemic regions