Table 2 Baseline demographic, clinical and immunological characteristics and B cell subset distribution (IgD and CD27 classification) in VERA and ERA patients according to response to therapy (i.e. remission) at 24 weeks of follow-up
From: Memory B cell subsets and plasmablasts are lower in early than in long-standing Rheumatoid Arthritis
Variables | DAS remission | No DAS remission | Univariate analysis; p value | Multivariate analysis; OR (95% CI) | CDAI remission | No CDAI remission | Univariate analysis; p value | Multivariate analysis; OR (95% CI) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
N. | 32 | 29 | 20 | 41 | ||||
Age, years | 47.0 ± 15.2 | 61.5 ± 10.3 | <0.001 | 0.92 (0.87-0.97) | 50.2 ± 15.7 | 55.7 ± 14.3 | 0.21 | |
Sex, n. female, n. (%) | 26 (81.3) | 26 (89.7) | 0.36 | 16 (80.0) | 36 (87.8) | 0.42 | ||
VERA, n. (%) | 13 (40.6) | 9 (31.0) | 0.44 | 11 (55.0) | 11 (26.8) | 0.03 | 8.89 (1.79-44.2) | |
Anti-TNF therapy | 10 (31.3) | 6 (20.7) | 0.40 | 8 (40.0) | 8 (19.5) | 0.09 | ||
ESR, mm/1^hour | 33.6 ± 23.2 | 54.0 ± 35.2 | 0.02 | 1.00 (0.96-1.04) | 41.5 ± 30.3 | 54.0 ± 35.2 | 0.58 | |
CRP, mg/l | 11.3 ± 18.2 | 32.7 ± 45.9 | 0.01 | 0.98 (0.95-1.01) | 18.7 ± 36.8 | 32.7 ± 45.9 | 0.23 | |
DAS | 3.1 ± 1.0 | 3.8 ± 1.1 | 0.05 | 0.58 (0.21-1.57) | 3.2 ± 0.9 | 3.6 ± 1.1 | 0.13 | 0.34 (0.14-0.83) |
CDAI | 24.3 ± 12.4 | 28.7 ± 14.3 | 0.36 | 23.7 ± 11.4 | 27.7 ± 14.3 | 0.32 | ||
ACPA positivity, n. (%) | 23 (71.9) | 15 (51.7) | 0.11 | 2.21 (0.57-8.66) | 16 (80.0) | 22 (53.7) | 0.05 | 2.05 (0.36-11.6) |
RF-IgM positivity, n. (%) | 20 (62.5) | 15 (51.7) | 0.40 | 14 (70.0) | 21 (51.2) | 0.16 | ||
RF-IgA positivity, n. (%) | 12 (37.5) | 11 (37.9) | 0.97 | 8 (40.0) | 15 (36.6) | 0.80 | ||
BAFF, pg/ml | 878.3 ± 430.2 | 819.7 ± 265.3 | 0.77 | 991.0 ± 484.3 | 780.8 ± 264.1 | 0.08 | 1.002 (1.000-1.004) | |
IL6 (pg/ml) | 13.4 ± 20.4 | 22.3 ± 24.8 | 0.02 | 1.02 (0.98-1.06) | 18.0 ± 24.0 | 17.5 ± 22.5 | 0.79 | |
CD19+/IgD + CD27+, % | 8.3 ± 8.2 | 13.7 ± 18.7 | 0.25 | 7.3 ± 8.3 | 12.6 ± 16.3 | 0.08 | 1.03 (0.90-1.17) | |
CD19+/IgD + CD27-, % | 67.5 ± 13.6 | 57.0 ± 17.2 | 0.01 | 1.06 (1.01-1.11) | 68.7 ± 11.6 | 59.5 ± 17.3 | 0.03 | 1.09 (1.02-1.17) |
CD19+/IgD-CD27+, % | 15.2 ± 7.7 | 19.3 ± 8.8 | 0.08 | 1.06 (0.92-1.22) | 14.6 ± 7.7 | 18.4 ± 8.5 | 0.09 | 1.09 (0.88-1.33) |
CD19+/IgD-CD27-, % | 7.2 ± 4.7 | 7.4 ± 4.2 | 0.58 | 7.7 ± 5.0 | 7.1 ± 4.2 | 0.47 | ||
CD19+/CD38 + CD27+, % | 2.0 ± 2.1 | 3.1 ± 5.4 | 0.84 | 1.8 ± 1.4 | 2.9 ± 4.8 | 0.94 | ||
CD19+/ZAP70+, % | 5.9 ± 7.4 | 4.1 ± 3.3 | 0.86 | 6.5 ± 8.1 | 4.3 ± 4.4 | 0.18 |