title: Statins do not influence long-term rituximab clinical efficiency in rheumatoid arthritis patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This longitudinal study aims to determine if statins inhibit the response to rituximab in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  41 patients initiating rituximab were included; 17 patients were exposed to the combination of statins and rituximab. The total cholesterol, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and C-reactive protein (CRP) were assessed. The clinical response was evaluated using Disease Activity Score (DAS28) and European League against Rheumatism (EULAR) response at 6 and 18 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A tendency of increasing in DAS28 was observed in statin-exposed group but the correlation was very weak (at 18 months: r = 0.013, P = 0.952). The statin-exposed status was negatively and very weakly correlated with EULAR response at 6 months (r = -0.073, P = 0.661) and 18 months (r = -0.197, P = 0.244). There was a negative correlation between statin-exposed status and inflammatory markers values (ESR and CRP); however, the correlation was very weak. The use of statin did not influence the cardiovascular risk measured by modified Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation (mSCORE).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Long-term significant inhibitory effects of statins on rituximab treatment in RA have not been proved using clinical response scores or biologic markers.
authors: Department of Rheumatology, "Sfanta Maria" Hospital, Blvd IonMihalache No. 37-39, 011172 Bucharest, Romania ; "Carol Davila" University of Medicine, Bucharest, Romania.
authors: Diana
authors: D
authors: Mazilu
authors: Department of Rheumatology, "Sfanta Maria" Hospital, Blvd IonMihalache No. 37-39, 011172 Bucharest, Romania.
authors: Tania
authors: T
authors: Gudu
authors: Department of Rheumatology, "Sfanta Maria" Hospital, Blvd IonMihalache No. 37-39, 011172 Bucharest, Romania ; "Carol Davila" University of Medicine, Bucharest, Romania.
authors: Ruxandra
authors: R
authors: Ionescu
authors: Department of Rheumatology, "Sfanta Maria" Hospital, Blvd IonMihalache No. 37-39, 011172 Bucharest, Romania ; "Carol Davila" University of Medicine, Bucharest, Romania.
authors: Daniela
authors: D
authors: Opris
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004347:Drug Interactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D000069283:Rituximab; D012383:Romania / Q000453:epidemiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D000069283:Rituximab