BIOCHEMICAL AND INFLAMMATORY PROFILES ASSOCIATED WITH ANEMIA IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS: A RETROSPECTIVE LABORATORY STUDY

Abstract

Introduction: Anemia is a frequent extra-articular finding in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), driven by inflammation, iron deficiency, or both. This study aimed to determine the association between anemia and hematological and biochemical (kidney and liver) markers in rheumatoid factor (RF)-positive RA. Methodology: In this retrospective cross-sectional analysis, 142 adults with RF-positive RA with complete results were studied. Anemia was defined as hemoglobin below 12 g/dL. Variable groups were compared with Mann-Whitney and Fisher tests; associations were assessed with Spearman correlation, and independent correlates were identified with logistic regression. Results: Anemia affected 47 patients (33.1%), mostly normocytic (70.2%) but microcytic in 27.7%. Anemic patients had lower albumin (median 34.0 vs 42.0 g/L), higher red cell distribution width (13.7% vs 12.0%), higher neutrophil-to lymphocyte ratio (3.74 vs 2.12), and higher urea. After adjustment, only albumin (odds ratio 0.17 per 5 g/L; 95% CI 0.09 0.33) and alanine aminotransferase (0.56 per doubling; 0.36–0.88) remained associated with anemia (AUC 0.87). Conclusions: In RF-positive RA, anemia clustered with low albumin and red cell anisocytosis, suggesting an inflammatory component.