Clinico Pathological Study of Rheumatoid Arthritis Association with C -Reactive Protein (CRP); a Potential Biomarker of Cartilage Damage

Objective: To explore the association between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels as a potential biomarker of cartilage damage. Methodology: This case control study was done at Department of pathology Ziauddin University Clifton Campus, Karachi from June 2018 to May 2019. Patients diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) according to established criteria, aged 18 years or older and both male and female participants were included. Clinical data was collected through medical record review and direct patient interviews. Blood samples were collected from participants for CRP measurement using standard laboratory assays. Serum CRP levels were quantified using high-sensitivity CRP assays in a certified clinical laboratory. CRP levels was defined based on established cutoff values, typically exceeding 3 mg/L. Statistical Analysis: Statistical analysis will be performed using SPSS version 26. Results: Mean age of patients was 43.38+.56 years, while control group subjects had a slightly lower mean age of 42.33+6.93 years (p = 0.412). Gender distribution showed a predominant female representation, with 76 female patients (88.4%) and 75 female controls (87.2%) (p = 0.816). There was a strong positive correlation was observed between DAS28 and CRP levels, with a Pearson correlation coefficient of r= 0.745 and (p < 0.01), indicating a significant association between disease activity and CRP concentration. Conversely, the correlation between DAS28 and ESR was weaker and not statistically significant (r = 0.123, p = 0.258). Conclusion: Study revealed that the significant elevation of serum CRP levels in RA patients compared to healthy individuals. The positive correlation between serum CRP levels and the extent of joint damage observed radiographically, suggesting CRP's potential as a biomarker for estimating disease severity and cartilage deterioration in RA.