Spondyloarthritis & psoriatic arthritis
Complement system activation is associated with spinal radiographic progression in axial spondyloarthritis after 2 years of follow-up: findings from the CONSUL randomised controlled trial (RCT)
Authors' conclusion
Complement activation marker C3dg, MASP-1 and MASP-3 levels before TNFi therapy predicted new bone formation after 2 years of follow-up among axSpA patients with a high risk of radiographic progression.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with active radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) initiating tumour necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) therapy (golimumab) in the multicentre RCT CONSUL
- Participants
- 96 patients
- Comparison
- Patients with vs without new bone formation after 2 years of golimumab
- Primary endpoint
- Association of baseline complement activation (C3dg) and complement protein levels with new bone formation
- Follow-up
- 2 years (108 weeks)
Methodological detailsmulticentre, longitudinal
- Multicentre
- Longitudinal
Primary result
As reported in the abstract
Baseline complement markers and new bone formation · 2 years
- Baseline C3dg and MASP-1 elevated in patients with new bone formation
- Baseline MASP-3 decreased in patients with new bone formation
- Baseline MASP-1, MASP-3 and C3dg associated with new bone formation in univariate logistic regression and remained significant in multivariate analysis
Further findings
Complement markers at follow-up and new bone formation · follow-up (108 weeks)
- C3dg and L-ficolin elevated at follow-up in patients with new bone formation
- Follow-up C3dg remained significant in multivariate logistic regression
Original publication
Complement system activation is associated with spinal radiographic progression in axial spondyloarthritis after 2 years of follow-up: findings from the CONSUL RCT. RMD Open. Published 28 November 2025. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →