ABSTRACT
Rheumatoid arthritis [RA] is an inflammatory disease. It largely affects synovial joints, which are lined with a specialized tissue called synovium. RA typically affects the small joints of the hands and the feet, and usually both sides equally and symmetrically, although any synovial joint can be affected. It is a systemic disease and so can affect the whole body, including the heart, lungs and eyes. There are approximately 400,000 people with RA in the UK, The incidence of the condition is low, with around 1.5 men and 3.6 women developing RA per 10,000 people per year. This translates into approximately 12,000 people developing RA per year in the UK. The overall occurrence of RA is two to four times greater in women than men. To assess total Homocystine [tHcy] metabolism and also levels of B vitamins [folate and B12] which is enters in remathelytion of Homocystine metabolism in blood of patient with rheumatoid arthritis. Forty patients with rheumatoid arthritis were studied. Their ages range from 20-80 years with a mean age of 47.2 +/- 12.9 years. Apparently healthy volunteers considered of 30 individuals who considered as control Blood samples were collected from patients and controls to assess serum concentration of homocystine were measured by [hplc], folate and B12 were measured by cobas e411, lipid profile [spectrophotometer] and different parameters. The current results revealed that serum Homocystine level was significantly higher in patients than in healthy controls [p=0.001]. More ever, there is significant negative association was found between serum Homocystine with folate and B12 also there is strong positive association between folate and B12. Elevated Hey levels in patients with RA, may explain some of the increased cardiovascular mortality seen in such patients. Studies of the prevalence and mechanism of hyperhomocysteinemia in RA are warranted simple preventive measures may reduce the risk cardio vascular disease such as dietary supplementation of adequate vitamins of folic acid and B12 from natural sources [fruits and green leafy vegetables], substitution of animal proteins by plant proteins in the diet, as animal proteins have higher methionine content than the plant proteins. This may, in part, decrease the body burden of Hey and regularize the deranged Hey metabolism in most cases