SERUM LEVELS OF ADIPONECTIN BEFORE AND AFTER ADMINISTRATION OF ANTI-TUMOR NECROSIS FACTOR AGENTS IN IRAQI PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic systemic inflammatory disease that affects many organs and tissues and principally attacks syno-vial joints. It is an autoimmune disease that produces inflammatory response of synovium secondary to hyperplasia of the synovial cells. Recent findings suggest that adiponectin may be involved in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), however levels of adiponectin in syn-ovial fluid and sera were elevated in patients with RA. Thus, it was suggested that adiponectin can exert significant proinflammatory and ma-trix-degrading effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the serum levels of adiponectin before and after administration of anti-tumor ne-crosis factor agents in Iraqi patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Mean serum level of adiponectin was statistically higher in patient group than control group, but there was no statistical differences in the mean serum level of adiponectin between patients receiving traditional treatment and those receiving biological treatment, nor before and after biological treatment. The serum levels of adiponectin were higher in patient group than control group, so adiponectin can act as a proinflammatory cytokines in patients with RA.