Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by systemic inflammation and joint destruction. Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) form the cornerstone of RA management, aiming to control disease activity and prevent long-term complications. This study evaluates the effect of DMARD therapy on inflammatory biomarkers and disease activity measures in RA patients. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of DMARD therapy on inflammatory biomarkers and disease activity indices in patients with RA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study aims to evaluate and compare pre- and post-therapy outcomes retrospectively of patients with seropositive and seronegative RA undergoing DMARD therapy. By analyzing inflammatory biomarkers (erythrocyte sedimentation rate [ESR], C-reactive protein [CRP]) alongside disease-modifying indices (disease activity score [DAS28], simplified disease activity index [SDAI], and clinical disease activity index [CDAI]), the study seeks to determine correlations between these parameters, assessing their predictive value for treatment response. This correlation analysis will help establish whether inflammatory biomarkers can reliably reflect clinical disease activity and guide treatment decisions in RA management. RESULTS: The study demonstrated a consistent decline in inflammatory markers and disease activity over time. ESR decreased from 32.56 ± 17.37 at baseline to 13.66 ± 5.79 at 6 months, while CRP dropped from 12.19 ± 9.32 to 4.18 ± 2.90. Disease activity indices also showed significant improvement, with CDAI reducing from 13.32 ± 3.57 to 5.82 ± 1.37, SDAI from 22.28 ± 2.10 to 13.22 ± 2.24, and DAS28 from 5.20 ± 0.16 to 2.24 ± 0.25 over the study period. In addition, the Visual Analog Scale Score, reflecting pain levels, declined markedly from 5.14 ± 1.85 to 0.60 ± 0.57 at 6 months. These findings indicate a steady reduction in inflammation, disease activity, and pain, suggesting significant clinical improvement throughout the study period. CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrates that DMARD therapy significantly reduces inflammatory biomarkers and disease activity measures in patients with RA. A marked decline in CRP, ESR, and other inflammatory markers was observed, correlating with improvements in clinical parameters such as DAS28 and patient-reported outcomes. These findings highlight the efficacy of DMARDs in controlling systemic inflammation and disease progression, thereby improving the overall quality of life in RA patients. Further long-term studies are warranted to assess sustained remission and the potential for personalized treatment strategies.