الفهرس 
IntroductionOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), one of the most prevalent autoimmune diseases affecting approximately 1% of the population, is a major cause of potentially treatable disability and produces a significant health burden and economic cost. Early diagnosis and appropriate therapeutic intervention produces rapid disease control and improves the functional and structural outcomes.
The initiation of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a combination of pre-determined (genetic) and stochastic (random) events. It results from a complex interaction between genes and environment, leading to a breakdown of immune tolerance and synovial inflammation in a characteristic symmetric pattern. Distinct mechanisms regulate inflammation and matrix destruction, including damage to bone and cartilage. Given the heterogeneous response to therapy, it is clear that RA in not just a single disease; instead, many pathways can lead to autoreactivity with similar clinical presentations.
The aim of this study was to assess the predictor of response to methotrexate and moderate dose of corticosteroid in undifferentiated UA and DMARDs naive early rheumatoid arthritis RA.
The study was undertaken on 102 adult patients attending Alexandria Main University Hospital who had UA OR RA. All patients were given high methotrexate and moderate dose of corticosteroids. Baseline clinical, laboratory and radiological parameters are assessed. Assessement of remission after 6 months of treatment was done.