Comparative study on the level of B lymphocyte stimulator (BlyS) and frequency of lymphocytes between sero-negative and sero-positive rheumatoid arthritis patients.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the differences of B lymphocyte stimulator (BlyS) level and frequency of lymphocytes between sero-negative and sero-positive rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients.


METHODS
Sixty-nine RA patients were enrolled into this study and their clinical data were recorded. The BlyS levels in plasma, frequency of T and B lymphocytes, as well as T-helper (Th) subgroups were compared between sero-negative and sero-positive RA patients. Furthermore, the correlations between clinical features and immunological features were analyzed.


RESULTS
The plasma BlyS level in sero-negative RA was higher compared to the sero-positive RA patients (1.73±1.71 vs. 0.99±0.59 ng/mL, P<0.05) and osteoarthritis (OA) patients (1.73±1.71 vs. 0.59±0.12 ng/mL, P<0.05). Plasma BlyS level was correlated with disease activity score (DAS-28, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein), but had no correlation with the titers of rheumatoid factor and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) antibodies. The patients with more advanced changes in X-rays had high plasma BlyS levels. No significant differences in the frequency of T lymphocytes, Th subpopulations and B lymphocytes in peripheral blood were observed between sero-negative and sero-positive RA patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Plasma BlyS level was correlated with disease activity and radiological progress, which indicates that plasma BlyS level may become a useful biological marker to reflect DAS and to predict RA prognosis.
Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Beijing University First Hospital, Beijing, China.
Yan
Y
Geng
Zhuo-li
ZL
Zhang
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D053264:B-Cell Activating Factor / Q000097:blood*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D011859:Radiography; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000473:pathology*
D053264:B-Cell Activating Factor; D015415:Biomarkers; C505719:TNFSF13B protein, human; D002097:C-Reactive Protein