Blood indices in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and their relation to disease activity

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic condition principally involving synovial joints causing damage and loss of function with higher prevalence among females. RBCs, hemoglobin, platelets and other blood indices are strongly associated with increased disease activity. Aim of the work: to investigate the correlation between activity indices and blood indices in rheumatoid arthritis patients. Subjects and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in the Rheumatology Department, Minia University Hospital, Egypt. It included 50 adult patients previously diagnosed as RA according to the 2010 ACR or EULAR classification criteria for rheumatoid arthritis and 50 apparently healthy controls. Result: there were statistically significant differences observed between RA patients and healthy controls across the laboratory parameters, Hemoglobin levels, red blood cell (RBC) counts, Hematocrit values, neutrophil counts and Monocyte counts were significantly lower in RA patients. In contrast, platelet counts were significantly elevated in RA patients compared to in controls. Conclusion: In conclusion, this study revealed a significant interplay between disease activity and hematological parameters in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Specifically, elevated Disease Activity Score (DAS28) strongly associated with altered blood indices,including anemia and elevated platelet counts, which may reflect systemic inflammation. Further studies are encouraged to validate these findings across diverse populations and clinical settings.