A Study of Haematological Profile in Newly Diagnosed Rheumatoid Arthritis and its Correlation with Disease Activity

Rheumatoid Arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease of unknown etiology characterised by presence of symmetric involvement of multiple joints, mainly small joints that rapidly progresses to multisystem inflammation. Common haematological abnormalities observed are anemia,leucocytosis, neutropenia, thrombocytosis, thrombocytopenia, eosinophilia and haematological malignancies. This study is aimed at the various haematological parameters observed in newly diagnosed patients of rheumatoid arthritis and correlating it with disease activity measured by indices like DAS 28 CRP and HAQDI. Patients more than 16 years of age and newly diagnosed cases of rheumatoid arthritis according to the ACR EULAR 2010 criteria who presented in the rheumatology opd were included in the study. A total of 20 patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria were studied.Any patient with active blood loss from any site, infection,chronic liver or kidney disease, malignancies,hematological diseases,those already on disease modifying drugs,other autoimuune diseases were excluded from the study. Out of 20 patients of rheumatoid arthritis studied,55%(11) had anemia of chronic disease and 27.5%(5) had iron deficiency anemia,3%(1) had eosinophilia. The disease activity was measured using DAS 28 CRP and HAQ DI. A negative correlation was observed between Hb level and disease activity whereas a positive correlation was observed between platelet count and disease activity. In our study it was observed that Hb is significantly lower in patients with high disease activity whereas platelet count and MPV are significantly higher with high disease activity compared to patients with low to moderate disease activity.So, from Hb level, platelet count and MPV, we can predict disease activity in RA patients which can guide us for proper and aggressive management to prevent further disease progression.