Background: Anti-cyclic citrullinated PEPTIDE (CCP) antibodies are highly specific and predictive for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Recently, existence of anti-CCP in several other inflammatory conditions from psoriatic arthritis to neurodegenerative disorder like Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has been reported. We compared the level of anti-CCP titer between the patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s disease; then, we compared it between the patients with mild rheumatoid arthritis and Alzheimer’s disease.Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 40 patients with rheumatoid arthritis, 29 patients with Alzheimer’s disease, 30 patients with mild cognitive impairment and 30 healthy controls were enrolled. Anti-CCP titer was measured by solid phase enzyme immunoassay kit. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way analysis of variance and post-hoc Tukey tests.Findings: Level of anti-CCP titer (mean±SD) was higher significantly in patients with Alzheimer’ s disease (13.6±1.6) was higher than healthy subjects (4.2±1.1) and patients with mild cognitive impairment (4.8±1.3) (P=0.0100 for both). Anti-CCP serum level in 32.1% of patients with Alzheimer’s disease and 95.5% of patients with mild rheumatoid arthritis was higher than normal range. In addition, the antibody level was significantly higher in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (54.7±4.8) compared to patients with Alzheimer’s disease (P=0.0001).Conclusion: We obviously observed differences in Anti-CCP titer between patients with Alzheimer’s disease and those with mild rheumatoid arthritis. It was expected since anti-CCP has a high specificity for rheumatoid arthritis and become positive in early stages of disease with a high predictive value. However, we found that in early stages of cognitive impairment, we could not use this biomarker as a diagnostic test but during disease progression, a significant difference was observed between patients with mild cognitive impairment and those with Alzheimer’s disease. It needs more studies to confirm the role of anti-CCP antibody production in patients with Alzheimer’s disease.

Background and purpose: Preeclampsia is a serious condition in pregnancy. Previous studies have shown that NT-pro BNP level is higher in preeclamptic patients than that in pregnant women with normal blood pressure. Severity of preeclampsia is one of the critical factors in managing patients، so، this study aimed at investigating the relationship between the level of NT-pro BNP and severity of preeclampsia. Materials and methods: In this descriptive study، three groups of pregnant women with normal blood pressure (n= 29)، non-severe preeclampsia (n= 30)، and severe preeclampsia (n=31) were included. Diagnostic criteria and classification of preeclampsia were based on the guideline for hypertension in pregnancy by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists، 2013. The level of NT-pro BNP was measured by ELISA. Data analysis was done applying t-test، fisher test، Kruskal Wallis، and Mann Whitney. Results: The levels of NT-pro BNP were 40± 26، 55± 33، and 74± 37 pg/ml in pregnant women with normal blood pressure، non-severe preeclampsia، and severe preeclampsia، respectively. Significant differences were found between the cases with normal blood pressure and those with severe preeclampsia in the level of NT-pro BNP (P= 0. 003). Conclusion: The level of NT-pro BNP in preeclamptic women was higher than that of the pregnant women with normal blood pressure which was correlated with the severity of preeclampsia too. It seems that the level of NT-pro BNP could be used to differentiate severe preeclampsia from non-severe cases.

Background &Aim: It is not well established that why certain parts of gingiva are more susceptible to some kind of periodontal diseases, since these regions are adjacent to the foramen of some nerves and paths, and regarding to the important role of neuropathies in inflammation. On the other hand, it was shown that SP and CGRP have some role in periodontal diseases, so the aim of this study was to determine the correlation between concentration of SP and CGRP and different regions of human clinically healthy gingiva.Methods & Materials: For this analytical study, 17 gingival samples from first maxillary incisor and first molar regions (case group) and 23 gingival samples from other regions (control group) were collected. Tissue samples were cultured for 72 hours. Then EIA was used for detection of SP and CGRP in supernatant fluids. Statistical analysis was made by Mann - whitney U test and Spearman's correlation coefficient tests.Results: Both SP and CGRP were present in all samples. There was also significant difference between different gingival regions regarding to CGRP concentration so its concentration was lower in first molar regions (P≈0.023). We could not find any significant difference between different regions regarding to SP concentration.Conclusion: It is suggested that SP and CGRP probably participate in the regulation and maintenance of gingival health and based on the lower concentration of CGRP in the gingiva of upper and lower first molars, it could be suggested a possible cause for susceptibility of these regions to some of oral diseases such as localized aggressive periodontitis.

Background: Rheumatoid Arthritis, (RA) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease with a progressive course requiring early diagnosis and treatment. The value of anti-cyclic citrullinated PEPTIDE antibodies (Anti-CCP) in the diagnosis of RA has been shown in several studies. The present study was designed to determine and compare the diagnostic value of Anti-CCP and rheumatoid factor (RF) for RA.Methods: 207 females and 48 males with RA, diagnosed by clinical criteria, with the mean age of 50±13.8 years and 290 non-RA controls with the mean age of 47±14 years were enrolled in the study. Serum samples were taken for assessment of Anti-CCP and RF from all participants.Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), positive likelihood ratio (LR+), and negative likelihood ratio (LR-)and their 95% confidence interval (95%CI) were estimated by comparison of patients with controls. Results: In patients with RA, Anti-CCP was positive in 79.2% and RF was positive in 72.1%; and both antibodies were positive in 64.7%, and both negative in 13.3%. 47.8% of seronegative RA was Anti-CCP positive and 7.8% of anti-CCP negative were RF positive.Sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, LR+ and LR- for Anti-CCP in diagnosis of RA were: 79.2%, 94.8%. 93.08%, 83.8%, 13.46 and 0.19 respectively; for RF the respective values were 72.1%, 90.6%, 87.2 %, 78.7%, 6.81, and 0.26. For both Anti-CCP and RF the values were 64.7%, 97.5%, 95.9 %, 75.8%, 26.8and 0.36.Anti-CCP was more diagnostic than RF and both antibodies had more diagnostic values than either of them alone. Anti-CCP yielded a specificity of 89.6% and PPV of 85% for diagnosis of seronegative RA.Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate that anti-CCP has a higher diagnostic performance than RF. It is highly useful in the diagnosis of seronegative RA. In addition, presence of both antibodies is more diagnostic than either of them alone.