evaluation of il1-α and tnf-α serum levels in rheumatoid arthritis pationts with active and inactive, with or without bone erosion

rheumatoid arthritis is the most common inflammatory joint disease with 1 percent prevalence in community which presents with symmetrical polyarthritis of hands with inflammatory behavior. several studies in recent years were conducted for evaluation of inflammatory cytokines such as il1-α (interlukin 1α) and tnf- α (tumor necrosis factor) in rheumatologic disorders including rheumatoid arthritis to find new treatment methods base to pathogenesis. in this study different serum levels of il1-α and tnf- α in 160 rheumatoid arthritis patients with active and inactive disease and also disease with or without bone erosion are assessed. 4% of our patients had rheumatoid nodule and 70% of all patients had positive rf, il1-α, and tnf- α levels. active with bone erosion patients had il1-α and tnf- α serum levels higher than active without bone erosion patients; it was not significant in t-test but it was significant in mann-whitney test. the results was the same as expected; il1-α, and tnf- α serum levels were higher in active with bone erosion in comparison with inactive without bone erosion patients.