Clinical significance of synovial lymphoid neogenesis and its reversal after anti-tumour necrosis factor alpha therapy in rheumatoid arthritis.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the clinical significance of lymphoid neogenesis (LN) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the clinicopathological correlates of this process and its evolution after anti-tumour necrosis factor (TNF)alpha therapy in a large series of synovial tissues were analysed.


METHODS
Arthroscopic synovial biopsies from 86 patients with RA were analysed by immunohistochemistry. LN was defined as the presence of large aggregates of lymphocytes with T/B cell compartmentalisation and peripheral node addressin (PNAd) positive high endothelial venules. Clinical variables at baseline and after prospective follow-up were compared in LN positive and negative RA subsets. The evolution of LN and its correlation with the clinical course in a subgroup of 24 patients that underwent a second arthroscopic biopsy after anti-TNFalpha therapy was also analysed.


RESULTS
LN was present in 49% of RA synovial tissues. Patients with LN had a significantly higher disease duration and a higher previous use of anti-TNFalpha agents. During prospective follow-up, the proportion of patients achieving good or moderate European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) 28-joint Disease Activity Score (DAS28) responses was significantly lower in patients who were LN positive despite a significantly higher use of anti-TNFalpha agents. By multivariate logistic regression analysis, LN remained as an independent negative predictor of response to therapy. In the subgroup of patients rebiopsied after anti-TNFalpha therapy, reversal of LN features occurred in 56% of the patients and correlated with good clinical responses.


CONCLUSIONS
Synovial LN in RA predicts a lower response to therapy. LN features can be reversed after a short period of anti-TNFalpha therapy in parallel to good clinical responses.
Cañete
J D
JD
Unitat d'Artritis, Servei de Reumatología, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. jcanete@clinic.ub.es
Celis
R
R
Moll
C
C
Izquierdo
E
E
Marsal
S
S
Sanmartí
R
R
Palacín
A
A
Lora
D
D
de la Cruz
J
J
Pablos
J L
JL
D000368:Aged; D018951:Antigens, CD20; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D001182:Arthroscopy; D001706:Biopsy; D017252:CD3 Complex; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D042601:Lymphatic Vessels / Q000473:pathology; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
D018951:Antigens, CD20; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D017252:CD3 Complex; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha