Stratified distribution of Th17 and Treg cells in patients with multi-stage rheumatoid arthritis
Authors' conclusion
The immune characteristics of Ea-RA patients differ from those of HCs; an immune system disorder is apparent although no differences in Th17 and Treg levels were evident between Ea-RA patients and HCs. We found distributional heterogeneities of Th17 and Treg cells in patients with multi-stage of RA.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) at different disease stages (early, advanced, treated) and healthy controls
- Participants
- 131 / 117 / 109 / 97
- Exposure
- Early, advanced and treated RA vs healthy controls
- Early RA (Ea-RA)n = 131
- Advanced RA (Ad-RA)n = 117
- Treated RA (Tr-RA)n = 109
- Healthy controls (HCs)n = 97reference
- Outcome
- Peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets, particularly CD4+ T subsets (Th17 and Treg cells)
Methodological detailsflow cytometry, k-means clustering
- Flow cytometry
- K-means clustering
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets
- Decreased absolute NK cell numbers and increased CD4/CD8 T cell ratios in different RA groups, including Ea-RA, vs HCs
- Th17 and Treg cell numbers in Ea-RA similar to those in HCs
- K-means clustering on Th17 and Treg profiles identified three patient types: A (relatively low Treg and Th17), B (moderate Treg; Th17 similar to type C), C (high Treg; Th17 similar to type B)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Original publication
Stratified distribution of Th17 and Treg cells in patients with multi-stage rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Res Ther. Published 4 April 2023. doi:10.
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