ABSTRACT:
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), is frequently associated with extra intestinal symptoms, including arthritis. A growing body of research indicates that rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and IBD share an immunogenetic and inflammatory background, underscoring the need for early identification of RA-related risk in IBD patients. This cross-sectional study was conducted in Syria and included 70 patients with IBD (31 CD and 39 UC) and 20 age-matched healthy controls. Serum values for anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies (anti-CCP) and rheumatoid factor (RF) were measured using ELISA and latex agglutination methods, respectively. Statistical analysis was performed with p-values < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Both anti-CCP and RF levels were significantly higher in UC patients compared to healthy controls (p = 0.019, p = 0.024). Similarly, CD patients showed significantly elevated levels of anti-CCP and RF in contrast to controls (p = 0.024, p = 0.015). These findings indicate increased serological markers associated with RA among IBD patients. The elevated levels of anti-CCP and RF in patients with IBD support the presence of shared immunological and inflammatory mechanisms linking IBD and RA. Additionally, sex-based differences were not statistically significant among IBD patients regarding RF or anti-CCP antibody levels between males and females in either CD group (p = 0.45, p = 0.47) or in UC group (p = 0.18 and p = 0.61). Monitoring these autoantibodies could help identify IBD patients who have a higher risk for developing RA, while combining immunological and serological variables may enhance early detection methods and direct treatment approaches that target the gut–joint axis, which may facilitate earlier clinical diagnostic and limit the progression of long-term disease-associated complications.