Inflammatory Illness Research Articles

Therapeutic potential and recent progression of BTK inhibitors against rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a complex chronic inflammatory illness that affects the entire physiology of human body. It has become one of the top causes of disability worldwide. The development and progression of RA involves a complex interplay between an individual's genetic background and various environmental factors. In order to effectively manage RA, a multidisciplinary approach is required, as this disease is complicated and its pathophysiological mechanism is not fully understood yet. In majority of arthritis patients, the presence of abnormal B cells and autoantibodies, primarily anti-citrullinated peptide antibodies and rheumatoid factor affects the progression of RA. Therefore, drugs targeting B cells have now become a hot topic in the treatment of RA which is quite evident from the recent trends seen in the discovery of various B cell receptors (BCRs) targeting agents. Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) is one of these recent targets which play a role in the upstream phase of BCR signalling. BTK is an important enzyme that regulates the survival, proliferation, activation and differentiation of B-lineage cells by preventing BCR activation, FC-receptor signalling and osteoclast development. Several BTK inhibitors have been found to be effective against RA during the invitro and invivo studies conducted using diverse animal models. This review focuses on BTK inhibition mechanism and its possible impact on immune-mediated disease, along with the types of RA currently being investigated, preclinical and clinical studies and future prospective.

The Role of Gut Microbiota in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Background: The complicated result of immune response dysregulation, genetic predisposition, and external factors combines to cause a condition called inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). An increasing number of studies have lately connected the onset and progression of bowel inflammation to the gut flora.Aims and Objectives: This study aimed to look at gut function microbiota in IBD, elucidate its mechanisms, identify potential therapeutic targets, and explore future directions in this rapidly evolving field.Methodology: To examine the function of the gastrointestinal tract A cross-sectional study was carried out at the Pakistan Academy of Medicine and Dentistry (PIMS) in Islamabad between April 2023 and March 2024. We recruited a total of 72 participants who had received a diagnosis of inflammatory bowel illness. (IBD), and we used next-generation sequencing methods to collect stool samples for microbiota characterization. Demographic information, disease characteristics, and dietary habits were assessed through structured questionnaires.Results: Analysis of stool samples revealed alterations in gut microbiota composition in IBD patients compared to healthy controls, including a reduction in microbial diversity (Shannon Index: 2.8 ± 0.6 in IBD patients vs. 4.2 ± 0.8 in healthy controls) and shifts in the relative abundance of major phyla (Proteobacteria: 25.7% ± 5.2% in IBD patients vs. 12.1% ± 3.5% in healthy controls; Firmicutes: 41.3% ± 8.1% in IBD patients vs. 58.9% ± 7.3% in healthy controls). Dietary elements, illness severity, and gut microbiota composition were linked in IBD patients. Promising anti-inflammatory compounds and regulating the diversity of bacteria were two of the prospective goals for therapy found.Conclusion: Our research establishes a dysbiotic gut microbiota in IBD and shows how it relates to dietary variables and the severity of the illness. A potential treatment strategy for IBD is to target the gut microbiota, but more investigation is required to fully understand the intricate relationships that exist between the gut microbiota, host characteristics, and environmental effects.Keywords: Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) refers to a group of chronic inflammatory conditions that affect the digestive tract. The gut microbiota, which refers to the community of microorganisms that reside in the gastrointestinal tract, plays a significant role in the development and progression of IBD, dysbiosis, microbial diversity, disease severity, therapeutic targets

Comparative analysis of pediatric rheumatic patient growth patterns against norms: A cross-sectional study conducted in an Eastern Indian hospital

Background. Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most common rheumatic disease. Rheumatic diseases are a major cause of chronic illness in children around the world. SLE is a further prevalent inflammatory illness. Aims and objectives. To study different growth parameters of pediatric patients attending pediatric rheumatology clinic, to compare the growth parameters with age and sex matched controls and to compare growth among different types of pediatric rheumatic patients. Method. Different growth parameters and SMI (for children above 9 years) were recorded for patients attending pediatric rheumatology OPD having disease duration more than one year. Results. Among 121 patients, JIA was most common followed by SLE. Among JIA subtypes, SOJIA is most common. Mean age of presentation was earlier in SOJIA, late in JoAS. SLE patients had larger duration of illness prior to diagnosis than JIA patients. In JIA patients, mean height was significantly less than controls. SOJIA and polyarticular variety had significantly less weight and height compared to controls. SLE patients had significantly less weight and height compared to control. Anthropometric parameters were significantly more in SLE patients compared to JIA cohort. There was significantly more delayed puberty both in JIA and SLE patients compared to controls. Conclusion. JIA was most common, followed by SLE. Among JIA patients SOJIA variety was most common, JIA patients had significantly lower height than controls. SLE patients had significantly lower weight and height than controls. Delayed puberty was significantly more in both JIA and SLE patients compared to controls.

Kidney involvement in ankylosing spondylitis; recent findings

Ankylosing spondylitis is a chronic inflammatory illness that initially involves the spine and sacroiliac joint. It rarely presents with kidney disease. Various biochemical and morphological alterations have been described, consisting of hematuria, proteinuria, and low GFR across immunoglobulin A nephropathy, renal amyloidosis, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, and chronic interstitial nephritis with different frequencies among populations.

Identifying Risk Factors of Patients with Ulcerative Colitis

Background׃ Ulcerative colitis a lifelong inflammatory illness is marked by persistent inflammation of the mucosal surface that begins in the rectum and spreads toward the influence of a portion or the entire colon, the disease has different periods from severity or exacerbation to remission. Objective: The aim of this study was to explore risk factors of patients with Ulcerative Colitis. Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using a purposive sample of 105 patients diagnosed with ulcerative colitis attending to specialized hospital for gastroenterology and hepatology at AL-Najaf City. Study extend period from September 1,2023 to June 1, 2024. This study used self-administrated questionnaires adopted from the previous studies consist of two-part demographic and clinical forms items. Data collected were analyzed using SPSS version 25.0 Results׃ The findings of the current study involved that the highest percentage of the patients are those at young ages, female patients, graduated from college, married, live in urban, unemployed, and financially secured. According to the participants’ clinical data, the results showed that the highest percentage of the patients are those with some factors that may have direct influence on disease prognosis. For example, duration of the disease, family history of ulcerative colitis, chronic disease, with sleeping patterns as well as medication adherence and others. Conclusion and Recommendation׃ Ulcerative colitis (UC) disease commonly found in individuals within the age group (18 – 36) years old. The study recommended that nurses need to be more aware in performing nursing care for patients within age group (18 - 36) years old in terms of assessing clinical features of ulcerative colitis. Nurses who recognize the risk factors of ulcerative colitis may intervene and manage patient’s condition effectively. More researches are needed to address specific risk factors and find solution to avoid it if possible.

Histopathological evaluation of ulcerative colitis induced by white vinegar in albino rats

The ulcerative colitis (UC) is an inflammatory bowel illness which causes persistent inflammation of the colon's innermost layers. A prominent characteristic of ulcerative colitis (UC) is the stool's blood and mucous contents. This study determined to investigate the effects of white vinegar (WV) on colon tissues in rats. Two groups of twenty rats were created; the primary group was a control, healthy group, and the WV was administered to the second group at a dose of [1 ml/kg (5%)] via orally gavage for two weeks. Findings revealed the emergence of histopathological alterations like mucosal erosions, ulceration, loss of normal architecture, mucosal atrophy, and hemorrhage; numerous crypts have inflammatory cells that entered them, blood vessels are dilated and oedema, the serosa is destroyed, which demonstrates the devastation of the mucosal lining destruction with goblet cell hyperplasia, focal necrosis of epithelium with demolished connective tissues, accumulation of inflammatory cells in the mucosa, lamina propria, and muscularis mucosa, as well as submucosal oedema when compared with the control rats. The PAS-reaction histochemical analysis showed that the treated rats had lower levels of carbohydrates than the control animals. The findings of the study demonstrated that white vinegar was a dangerous substance linked to histological alterations that resulted in acute ulcerative colitis when used daily for two weeks.

Revolutionizing Pediatric Dermatology: Dupilumab’s Impact on Atopic Dermatitis in Kids

Eczema, or atopic dermatitis, is a common, non-communicable, immune-mediated, inflammatory skin illness mainly affecting children. It is a chronic condition. It causes mental health problems like anxiety, sadness, anxiety, depression, hyperactivity, and obesity. It is the first skin ailment and the fifteenth non-fatal disease. The purpose of the present research study was to evaluate the Safety and Effectiveness of biological treatment for atopic dermatitis using monoclonal antibodies against non-biological treatment, including antibiotics, immunosuppressants, demards, histamine antagonists and corticosteroids. Patient information was gathered from FDA-approved clinical trials. The comparative analysis found that Biological therapies like Dupilumab, Omalizumab, and Ustekinumab improve symptoms and disease control in atopic dermatitis. Non-biological treatments may not be as effective. Early antibiotic exposure can increase infection vulnerability. Mild eczema infections require biological agents. Topical corticosteroids can be combined with Dupilumab for effective treatment of atopic dermatitis. Studies show that Dupilumab improves symptoms and quality of life, making it a better option than a placebo. FDA recommends using biological agents over immunosuppressants in paediatrics for improved immune results. FDA clinical trials showed that dupilumab is a safe and effective treatment for children with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis, reducing disease severity and improving quality of life in young AD patients.

Evaluation of Interleukin-33, Interleukin-10 Levels in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients on Long Term Therapy of Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis is a prevalent, long-term, inflammatory autoimmune illness with a wide range of extra-articular symptoms that affects 0.24% of people worldwide. Finding new, RA-specific biomarkers may help in early diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of the severity and response to therapy of the disease. Objective: Determining of (IL-33, IL-10) levels in blood of both patients on long term therapy, early diagnosis patients and healthy control groups by using ELISA technique. Method: A case-control study in the following study groups consisted of three group. Group 1 included (50) patients on medications (DMARDs), Group 2 included (50) early diagnosed patients without medication and group 3 included (50) healthy individuals. Result: The mean of serum IL-33 concentration was significantly difference in rheumatoid arthritis (157.15 ± 24.88) in treated patients, (513.11 ± 113.01), and in patients with early diagnosis (185.75 ± 30.71) compared to the healthy control group (P = 0.000). But Mean levels of serum IL-10 were 320.27 ± 37.82, 180.24 ± 12.68 and 493.80 ± 68.94 pg/ml in patients on treatment, early diagnosis patients and healthy control group respectively; the level was highly significant lower than in early diagnosis patients with RA in comparison with patient on treatment and healthy control and the IL-10 level in healthy control was highly significant higher than in Patients on treatment, but in Patients on treatment higher than in early diagnosis patients, (P = 0.000). Conclusion: IL-33 and IL-10 is regarded as a useful biomarker for the diagnosis of RA and for assessing the severity of the illness.

Pharmacogenomics of coronary artery response to intravenous gamma globulin in kawasaki disease

Kawasaki disease (KD) is a multisystem inflammatory illness of infants and young children that can result in acute vasculitis. The mechanism of coronary artery aneurysms (CAA) in KD despite intravenous gamma globulin (IVIG) treatment is not known. We performed a Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) association analysis in a racially diverse cohort of KD patients treated with IVIG, both using AHA guidelines. We defined coronary aneurysm (CAA) (N = 234) as coronary z ≥ 2.5 and large coronary aneurysm (CAA/L) (N = 92) as z ≥ 5.0. We conducted logistic regression models to examine the association of genetic variants with CAA/L during acute KD and with persistence >6 weeks using an additive model between cases and 238 controls with no CAA. We adjusted for age, gender and three principal components of genetic ancestry. The top significant variants associated with CAA/L were in the intergenic regions (rs62154092 p < 6.32E–08 most significant). Variants in SMAT4, LOC100127, PTPRD, TCAF2 and KLRC2 were the most significant non-intergenic SNPs. Functional mapping and annotation (FUMA) analysis identified 12 genomic risk loci with eQTL or chromatin interactions mapped to 48 genes. Of these NDUFA5 has been implicated in KD CAA and MICU and ZMAT4 has potential functional implications. Genetic risk score using these 12 genomic risk loci yielded an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.86. This pharmacogenomics study provides insights into the pathogenesis of CAA/L in IVIG-treated KD and shows that genomics can help define the cause of CAA/L to guide management and improve risk stratification of KD patients.

The Miasmatic Approach in the Management of Bronchial Asthma in Homoeopathy

Bronchial asthma is a chronic obstructive disease of airways affecting bronchi, resulting in bronchoconstriction, tightening of chest and airway inflammation. Asthma remains a disease with clearly unsatisfactory therapeutics. With the mounting evidence in support of asthma being an inflammatory illness, anti-inflammatory agents have now become prerequisite for the long-term management of asthma. Along with anti-inflammatory agents, there is a need to search for other effective therapies to treat every aspect of the disease. Although asthma is a global disease, there are important differences in epidemiology, clinical spectrum and management practices in India.

Prevalence of Oral Lichen Planus in Patients with Hypothyroidism Versus Nonhypothyroidism.

A chronic inflammatory illness known as oral lichen planus (OLP) affects approximately 1-2% of adults, with middle-aged women having a higher prevalence than men. One clinical endocrine condition that primary care doctors frequently see is hypothyroidism. To compare the prevalence of OLP among individuals with a previous diagnosis of hypothyroidism against those without hypothyroidism. A total of 1200 patients were included in this study. As per their medical reports, 600 patients included were found to have hypothyroidism. The rest 600 patients did not have hypothyroidism. All the patients underwent clinical examination and cases of OLP were identified according to the criteria of diagnosis of OLP. Twenty (3.45%) study participants with hypothyroidism were found to have OLP. Eight (1.34%) study participants without hypothyroidism were found to have OLP of 2.37 (confidence interval: 0.91-6.23) and showed that the frequency of lichen planus in study participants with hypothyroidism was 2.37 times greater than that without hypothyroidism. Prevalence of lichen planus in persons with hypothyroidism was greater than that without hypothyroidism.

Assessment of Serum Osteopontin and Eosinophil Major Basic Protein Levels in Children with Bronchial Asthma

Bronchial asthma (BA) is a chronic inflammatory illness that causes airway narrowing, airway hyperresponsiveness, airway mucous plugging. The purpose of this study was to improve the assessment of severity and degree of control of childhood bronchial asthma and to assess serum level of Osteopontin (OPN) and eosinophil major basic protein (EMBP) for pre-school and school-age children with asthma. This case control work was performed on 90 patients categorized into 2 groups; asthmatic group: involved 45 asthmatic children and control group: included 45 age and sex matched healthy children free from any renal injury or chronic diseases. Laboratory investigations (complete blood count (CBC), analysis of OPN and EMBP) were done after ethical considerations. OPN can significantly predict asthma at cut off &gt;10.86 (P value of &lt;0.001, the area under curve (AUC) of 0.914) with 93.33% sensitivity, 86.67% specificity, 87.5% positive predictive value (PPV), 92.9% negative predictive value (NPV). EMBP can significantly predict asthma at cut off &gt;39.86(P value of &lt;0.001, AUC of 0.702) with 86.67% sensitivity, 44.44% specificity, 60.9% PPV, 76.9% NPV. There was no correlation between OPN and EMBP and between the severity of asthma and markers as OPN and EMBP. OPN (OR=1.154, 95% CI= 1.021 -1.303, P value =0.007), EMBP (OR=1.017, 95% CI= 1.001 - 1.011, P value =0.013) and eosinophils (OR=7.254, 95% CI= 1.862 -28.261, P value &lt;0.001) were significant predictors of asthma, while WBCs was not a significant predictor. Asthmatic children had higher OPN and EMBP. The severity of asthma was not significantly correlated with OPN and EMBP. OPN and EMBP can significantly predict asthma. Serum OPN and EMBP could be good biomarkers in the diagnosis of BA in different age groups.

Comparison of the Safety Effects of Antiplatelets on the Kidneys in Patients with Vascular Disease

Aims: Most vascular disorders fall under the category of inflammatory diseases because they gradually harm blood vessels, disrupting the normal flow of blood to and from vital organs. The purpose of this research was to determine the potential dangers to kidney health associated with acetylsalicylic acid and clopidogrel treatment in patients with vascular diseases. Methodology: A cross-sectional research design was employed in the study, as well as retrospective data collection methods on medical records, and purposive sampling-based data sampling methodologies. Results: The study's findings indicated that there was no significant correlation between the use of antiplatelets and the risk of developing kidney disorders. It is rather, a patient's lifestyle, use of medications that increase the risk of renal GFR, and co-occurring diseases that may impair blood flow in the renal afferen can all increase their risk of developing a renal disorder with p-value &lt;0.05. Nevertheless, the prolonged use of medication also plays a significant role in kidney function. The study's results indicate that renal problems are not attributed to the usage of antiplatelet drugs such as clopidogrel and acetylsalicylic acid. Scientific Novelty: Several using antiplatelet for indicated cardiovascular disease such us, atherosclerosis, plaque formation, endothelial dysfunction, and blockage or damage to the vascular endotelial matrix are all symptoms of vascular disease, a progressive inflammatory illness, it's frequently associated with the risk of kidney disorders. The use of antiplatelet will enlarge the afferent blood vessels. Conclusion: Instead, factors such as a patient's lifestyle, the severity of their condition, and their medical history could have a more significant impact on the likelihood of developing kidney dysfunction.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Its Association With Perinuclear Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibodies: A Systematic Review.

An idiopathic condition known as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is characterized by a dysregulated immune response to the intestinal flora of the host. It falls into one of two primary categories: ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease. A wide range of disorders, both clinically and genetically, can cause IBD. The purpose of this thorough analysis is to determine the significance and reliability of the correlation between perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (p-ANCA) and IBD, as well as the implications of this correlation for the diagnosis and treatment of IBD. Ten pertinent studies were identified from a starting pool of 20 articles in this systematic review, which was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines. These studies addressed treatment, complications, limitations, and outcome in addition to the presence or lack of p-ANCA in patients with IBD. In conclusion, p-ANCA is more strongly linked to inflammatory bowel illness than Crohn's disease, primarily ulcerative colitis. Some evidence suggests that there is a decrease in p-ANCA to some extent with medical or surgical interventions, but the exact intervention is not yet clear. There is less evidence suggesting that the medical or surgical treatments used in patients with IBD cause an increase or decrease in p-ANCA.

Dual-Channel/Localization Single-Molecule Fluorescence Probe for Monitoring ATP and HOCl in Early Diagnosis and Therapy of Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a common chronic inflammatory illness, is still incurable, reducing the sufferers' quality of life significantly. Adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) and hypochlorous acid (HOCl) are key indicators in RA, but their precise mechanisms in RA pathophysiology are unknown. As a result, in order to detect ATP and HOCl simultaneously, we created two new dual-channel/localization single-molecule fluorescence probes, RhTNMB and RhFNMB. Furthermore, RhFNMB outperformed RhTNMB in terms of detection performance. ATP and HOCl produce independent fluorescence responses in the light red channel (λex = 520 nm, λem = 586 nm) and deep red channel (λex = 620 nm, λem = 688 nm), respectively, without spectral crosstalk. It should be noted that the probe RhFNMB successfully imaged ATP in mitochondria and HOCl in cells. Surprisingly, the probe RhFNMB demonstrated remarkable detection ability in the diagnosis and treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa-induced abdominal inflammation in mice. We continued to apply the probe RhFNMB to track ATP and HOCl in RA and discovered that ATP and HOCl concentrations were considerably greater in RA joints than in normal joints. We also confirmed the therapeutic effect of methotrexate on RA. This study is the first to achieve dual-channel imaging of ATP and HOCl, which is of great value for the early diagnosis and therapy of RA.

Chitosan modified magnetic nanocomposite for biofilm destruction and precise photothermal/photodynamic therapy

Getting rid of the biofilms is a major challenge when treating skin and soft tissue infections (SSTI), an inflammatory illness brought on by bacteria. Traditional magnetic materials have a limited dispersibility and a biofilm permeable property, making it challenging to remove biofilms and causing infection to linger. To solve these problems, we developed a kind of magnetic composite nanoplatform coated with indocyanine green carbon dots and modified with chitosan modification (Fe-ICGCDs@CS). Fe-ICGCDs@CS has high dispersibility and improves the conductivity of biofilms under magnetic action. Fe-ICGCDs@CS can adsorb bacteria via the positive charge and achieve precise photothermal sterilization and photodynamic therapy (PDT). Moreover, by catalyzing hydrogen peroxide (2 mM), Fe-ICGCDs@CS can produce oxygen to relieve the anoxic state in the deep layer of biofilms and activate dormant bacteria to make them sensitive to external stimuli. All in all, unlike the common “just kill” sterilization model, Fe-ICGCDs@CS can accurately kill bacteria and be recovered by an external magnetic field at the end of treatment, thus reducing the potential biological toxicity of nanomaterials. Therefore, the proposed Fe-ICGCDs@CS provides a new antibacterial method with low biotoxicity for clinical application in the treatment of biofilm infections.

Safety and efficacy of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) as a modern adjuvant therapy in various diseases and disorders: a comprehensive literature review.

The human gastrointestinal (GI) tract microbiome is a complex and all-encompassing ecological system of trillions of microorganisms. It plays a vital role in digestion, disease prevention, and overall health. When this delicate balance is disrupted, it can lead to various health issues. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is an emerging therapeutic intervention used as an adjuvant therapy for many diseases, particularly those with dysbiosis as their underlying cause. Its goal is to restore this balance by transferring fecal material from healthy donors to the recipients. FMT has an impressive reported cure rate between 80% and 90% and has become a favored treatment for many diseases. While FMT may have generally mild to moderate transient adverse effects, rare severe complications underscore the importance of rigorous donor screening and standardized administration. FMT has enormous potential as a practical therapeutic approach; however, additional research is required to further determine its potential for clinical utilization, as well as its safety and efficiency in different patient populations. This comprehensive literature review offers increased confidence in the safety and effectiveness of FMT for several diseases affecting the intestines and other systems, including diabetes, obesity, inflammatory and autoimmune illness, and other conditions.

The oral-gut microbiome axis in inflammatory bowel disease: from inside to insight.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an idiopathic and persistent inflammatory illness of the bowels, leading to a substantial burden on both society and patients due to its high incidence and recurrence. The pathogenesis of IBD is multifaceted, partly attributed to the imbalance of immune responses toward the gut microbiota. There is a correlation between the severity of the disease and the imbalance in the oral microbiota, which has been discovered in recent research highlighting the role of oral microbes in the development of IBD. In addition, various oral conditions, such as angular cheilitis and periodontitis, are common extraintestinal manifestations (EIMs) of IBD and are associated with the severity of colonic inflammation. However, it is still unclear exactly how the oral microbiota contributes to the pathogenesis of IBD. This review sheds light on the probable causal involvement of oral microbiota in intestinal inflammation by providing an overview of the evidence, developments, and future directions regarding the relationship between oral microbiota and IBD. Changes in the oral microbiota can serve as markers for IBD, aiding in early diagnosis and predicting disease progression. Promising advances in probiotic-mediated oral microbiome modification and antibiotic-targeted eradication of specific oral pathogens hold potential to prevent IBD recurrence.

Evaluation of loop-mediated isothermal amplification method for efficient detection of the periodontopathic bacteria Porphyromonas gingivalis.

Periodontitis is a multifactorial, polymicrobial oral inflammatory illness brought on by oral pathogens. Porphyromonas gingivalis is a Gram-negative, obligatory anaerobic, black-pigmented coccobacillus and is regarded as a primary etiological factor in the progression of periodontitis. Rapid, highly senstitive and specific detection methods are emerging. The present study aimed to evaluate the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) technique for efficiently detecting P. gingivalis from subgingival plaque samples of chronic periodontitis patients. This study included 50 subgingival plaque samples from patients suffering from chronic periodontitis. The DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid) was extracted by the "modified proteinase K" method. A set of six primers, targeting the pepO gene of P. gingivalis, was used for conducting LAMP. The amplification was visualized by naked-eye detection and agarose electrophoresis. Conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and real-time qantitative PCR (qPCR) were carried out by targeting the 16SrRNA (16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid) gene of P. gingivalis. The results showed that LAMP detected P. gingivalis in 40 out of 50 samples (80%). Whereas, qPCR and conventional PCR technique detected P. gingivalis in 38 (76%) and 33 (66%) samples respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of the LAMP method were 94.87% and 90.90%, respectively. With qPCR, the sensitivity and specificity were found to be 92.30% and 81.81%, respectively, whereas, with conventional PCR, it was found to be 76.92% and 72.72%, respectively. LAMP is an efficient technique for quick, accurate, and reliable identification of P. gingivalis from subgingival plaque samples. The technique needs to be validated analytically, and further studies can be conducted by taking saliva and/or gingival crevicular fluid samples from periodontitis patients.

Depression among Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients and its Relationship with Disease Severity

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic inflammatory autoimmune illness characterized by symmetric peripheral polyarthritis. Studies showed that there is an association between inflammation and depression, so most RA patients are suffering from depression. People with RA are twice as likely to have depression as the general population. Prevalence estimates for depression among RA patients range between 9.5%, 8, and 41.5%. Objectives: To study the prevalence of depression among rheumatoid arthritis patients and its relationship with disease severity Methodology: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among patients diagnosed with Rheumatoid arthritis and attending King Khalid Majmaah Hospital (KKMH). for follow-up. Fifty-seven patients were studied. Data was collected using a validated questionnaire and then analyzed using the SPSS Software program. This study protected the confidentiality of participants, and ethical approval was obtained from the King Fahad Medical City Review Board. Results: Most of the participants of this study were married females. 59.6% had been diagnosed with RA for less than five years, and Joint deformities were found in 19.3%. Prevalence of depression RA patients participated in this study. Only 12.3% were moderately depressed, so regular assessment of the RA patients is needed. HAQ results showed that 56.1% were categorized as 0 to 1. No significant association was found between the severity of depression and age group, gender, occupational status, diagnosis duration, family history of RA, joint deformities, serology markers, and conventional or biologic DMARDs. Conclusion: In this study, the prevalence of depression among the RA studied group was 28.1%. Among them, 12.3% were moderately depressed, and the rest had mild depression, so regular assessment of depression symptoms among the RA patients is needed, and antidepressants should be given if the depression worsens. Health-related quality of life (HAQ) results showed that 56.1% were categorized as 0 to 1. No significant association was found between the severity of RA and the level of depression. More extensive sample size studies? We need to confirm our findings in the future.