AN ASSESSMENT OF AUTOIMMUNITY IN ARTHRITIS PATIENTS

Objectives: The goal of this study is to estimate autoimmune biomarkers that characterize the development and severity of arthritis, but probably normalize following successful therapy. Materials and methods: In this study a total of 109 subjects were used out of which treated and untreated arthritics were 48 and 44 respectively, the remaining 17 were healthy individuals which were used as control. Samples were collected from patients attending Rheumatology and Orthopedic clinic of Federal Teaching Hospital Ido-ekiti, Ekiti State Nigeria. Antinuclear antibody was estimated using Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) while Lupus Erythematosus cells were ascertained microscopically using Leishman staining technique. All parameters were assessed in treated and untreated arthritic patients relative to healthy subjects. Body mass index was also calculated. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS. Results: Body mass index and Antinuclear antibodies were significantly higher in treated and untreated arthritics compared to control (P<0.05). When treated and untreated arthritics were compared, Body mass index and Antinuclear antibody were found to be significantly higher in untreated arthritics (P<0.05). Antinuclear antibody and Age correlated directly in untreated arthritics. Lupus Erythematosus cell prevalence was found to be higher in untreated arthritics having a percentage Lupus Erythematosus test positivity of 6.8% compared to the 2.1% seen in treated arthritics. Conclusion: It was found that Autoimmunity in arthritics can be significantly lowered through treatment with Arthritic drugs, diets, life style modifications over a period of time. The study suggests that Antinuclear antibody and Lupus Erythematosus estimations could be adopted as markers of diagnosis, prognosis and monitoring of arthritis.