الفهرس 
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Abstract
The aim of this work was to assess the role of IL-6 in the pathologenesis of RA and to correlate its levels with rheumatoid disease activity. Evaluation of IL-6 levels was done in comparison with other well known laboratory tests as ESR, CRP and β²-microglobulin in a trial to test the effiecacy of this new biochemical parameter in reflecting rheumatoid disease activity.
Results of the study showed that most of the measured parameters were significantly higher than those of the controls. Serum level of IL-6 was high only in 25% of the patients` samples so it could not reflect its relation to disease activity while synovial fluid level of IL-6 was high in 91% of the patients` samples and it was significantly elevated as the disease became more active . the disease activity was also significantly positively correlated with: ESR, CRP and both serum and synovial fluid levels of β²-microglobulin. Serum level of β²-M was significantly positively correlated with its synovial fluid level. the serum level of IL-6 was significantly negatively correlated with disease duration and significantly positively correlated with the level of CRP.