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Background and Objective: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic and chronic disease. Anticitrulinated anticyclic antibody (Anti-CCP) and rheumatoid factor (RF) are applied for the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis. This study was designed to evaluate the diagnostic value of anticitrulinated cyclic antibody and rheumatoid factor in rheumatoid arthritis patients. Materials and Methods: This laboratory study was done on 238 affected RF patients and 152 RF symptom free subjects in Gorgan, Iran. Anti-CCP and RF were measured by ELISA and Latex agglutination. Results: Out of 238 patients with rheumatoid arthritis Anti-CCP test was positive in 196 patients, and the sensivity was 82%. In control group, Anti-CCP was positive in 5 cases, and the specificity for RA was 96%. RF test was positive in 206 patients and sensitivity for RF in rheumatoid factor was 86%. In control group, RF was positive in 28 cases and specificity was 81%. Positive RF and Anti-CCP (simultaneously) showed sensitivity as 89%. Conclusion: The specificity of CCP is higher than RF and therefore can be substituted as diagnosis of rheumatoid factor.

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Background and Objective: Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, inflammatory and systemic disease with peripheral, symmetric polyarthritis symptoms. Several genetic, environmental, and immunological factors contribute greatly to the disease pathogenesis. This study was done to evaluate the effect of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti - CCP) and rheumatoid factor on clinical disease activity index (CDAI) in the patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Methods: This prospective cohort study was done on 64 rheumatoid arthritis patients according to ACR criteria (1978) whom referred to Rheumatology Clinic of Hajar Hospital in Shahrekord, Iran. Patients were clinically examined for primary CDAI and tested for anti - CCP and rheumatoid factor in the prior and six months after the initiation of the study. Results: 81.3% and 74% of the patients had high titers of anti – CCP antibody and positive rheumatoid factor, respectively. A non-significant recudtion was observed in intensity of secondary clinical activity of the disease in compare to primary clinical activity in the patients with high antibody titer. Conclusion: This study indicated the important role of rheumatoid factor and anti- CCP antibody in the on time diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis.

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Background and Objective: Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune-inflammatory disease with possible joint destruction and disability. Persica plant, seems contain anti-inflammatory capabilities. This study was done to determine the effect of hydroalcoholic extract of Ferula persica resin on induced rheumatoid arthritis by Freund's complete adjuvant in rat.
Methods: In this experimental study, 36 male Wistar rats (200-250 g) and 8 weeks old were randomly allocated in 6 groups including normal group, positive control, negative control, and groups treated with the hydroalcoholic extract of persica resin with 25, 50 and 75 mg/kg/bw doses. The resin of persica was extracted by Maceration method. On the first day, inflammation was induced with injection of 0.2 ml of Freund's complete adjuvant into the right knee joint of rats and from the fifteenth day hydroalcoholic extract was injected intraperitoneally and daily for 15 days. On the 30^th day, blood samples were taken from hearts for rheumatoid factor measurement. Histological slides were prepared from knee joint.
Results: The level of RF in the three treatment groups was significantly reduced compared to the negative control group (p<0.05). Destruction of cartilage were observed in treated group with dose of 25 mg/kg/bw in comparision with positive control group, treated group with 50 and 75 mg/kg/bw doses. Also in the negative control group, synovial hyperplasia, pannus and the destruction of cartilage were observed.
Conclusion: It seems that hydroalcoholic extract of Ferula persica resin can causes dose dependent reduction of inflammation and destruction of cartilage result from induced rheumatoid arthritis in the rats.

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Background and Objective: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most common systemic inflammatory disease. The FOXP3 gene is an agent that activates during the course of the disease and accumulates in the sinus arthritis of the inflamed joints, resulting in persistent inflammation and ultimately tissue damage. Regarding the role of polymorphism in promoter regions in gene expression, this study was conducted to determine the association of rs2232365 polymorphism in promoter of FOXP3 gene with the incidence of rheumatoid arthritis in Iranian population.
Methods: In this case-control study, in order to investigate the relationship between FOXP3 gene rs2232365 polymorphism and rheumatoid arthritis, 77 patients and 67 healthy subjects were evaluated. The genotype of individuals for polymorphism rs2232365 was determined by PCR-RFLP method.
Results: The highest genotypic frequency was related to CC genotype with 89% frequency in two healthy and diseased populations and no difference was observed in genotypic and allelic abundance in healthy and patient populations. Different genotypes of this polymorphism did not have a significant relation with the risk of RA, while it had a significant correlation with the level of CCP factor and CC genotype was associated with the progression of RA disease by increasing the level of CCP (P<0.05).
Conclusion: This study showed that there is no correlation between polymorphism rs2232365 in promoter of FOXP3 gene with Rheumatoid arthritis in Iranian population.

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Background and Objective: Periodontitis and rheumatoid arthritis are two chronic inflammatory diseases that are interrelated. Given the similarities between these conditions, the medications used by patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) may affect their periodontal indices. This study aimed to evaluate the periodontal index status in patients with RA undergoing immunosuppressive therapy.
Methods: This comparative cross-sectional study was conducted on 68 patients with RA in three treatment groups (20 on monotherapy, 24 on dual therapy, and 24 on triple treatment) and 20 healthy individuals with a plaque index (PI) below 35% in Ardabil, Iran during the second half of 2021. The monotherapy group included methotrexate or hydroxychloroquine; the dual therapy group included combinations of methotrexate with hydroxychloroquine, adalimumab, or infliximab; and the triple therapy group included combinations of methotrexate and hydroxychloroquine with adalimumab, etanercept, sulfasalazine, or leflunomide. Periodontal indices, including Plaque Index (PI), Clinical Attachment Loss (CAL), Gingival Index (GI), and Bleeding on Probing (BOP), were assessed.
Results: There were no statistically significant differences in periodontal indices among the three treatment groups (monotherapy, dual therapy, and triple therapy). The mean BOP index in the control group was significantly higher compared to the three medication groups (P<0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in the mean CAL and GI indices between the control group and the medication groups. The median PI in the control group was 29.6, and in the dual therapy group, it was 42.3, which was statistically significant (P<0.05).
Conclusion: The use of immunosuppressive drugs did not have a significant effect on the periodontal indices of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.