Evidence map›Paper›PMID 27558631›Full record

Observational studyArthritis research & therapy2016

A combination of cellular biomarkers predicts failure to respond to rituximab in rheumatoid arthritis: a 24-week observational study.

Martin H Stradner, Christian Dejaco, Kerstin Brickmann, Winfried B Graninger, Hans Peter Brezinschek

Open access · goldAbstract readObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in Arthritis research & therapy, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
12citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
4.2field-weighted citation impact, top 6% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

12 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 34 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Trial
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  5. Article
  6. Review
  7. Lymphopenia, Lymphopenia-Induced Proliferation, and Autoimmunity.International journal of molecular sciences · 2021
    Review
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Martin H StradnerDivision of Rheumatology and Immunology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
Christian DejacoDivision of Rheumatology and Immunology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
Kerstin BrickmannDivision of Rheumatology and Immunology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
Winfried B GraningerDivision of Rheumatology and Immunology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
Hans Peter BrezinschekDivision of Rheumatology and Immunology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria. hans-peter.brezinsek@medunigraz.at.ORCID 0000-0002-8939-0505
Medical University of Graz · AT

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAlthough B cell depletion with rituximab (RTX) is an effective treatment strategy in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), one third of patients do not achieve remission or low disease activity (LDA). Thus, identifying patients who will benefit from RTX is highly desirable. In the present study we investigated whether lymphocyte subsets other than B cells are predictors of a clinical response to RTX treatment.

methodsPatients with RA who were receiving RTX for the first time were included in an observatory registry. Clinical assessments, complete blood count and flow cytometry of lymphocyte subsets were obtained at baseline and at week 24 after RTX. Complete data were available for 44 patients. Logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic curve analyses were computed to analyze the predictive value of lymphocyte subsets for European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) response and LDA (defined as disease activity score in 28 joints (DAS28) ≤3.2) at week 24.

resultsEULAR responders had lower total lymphocyte counts (LC), T cells and CD4 + T cells at baseline. Although these parameters were independent predictors of EULAR response they failed in determining who would reach LDA. In contrast, LC >2910/μl or plasmablast frequency >2.85 % at baseline predicted a significantly higher DAS28 at week 24 after RTX and identified patients not achieving LDA at week 24 with sensitivity of 93.3 % and specificity of 44.8 %.

conclusionsA combination of LC and plasmablast frequency identifies patients with RA who will not benefit from RTX with high probability.

Indexed as

Lymphocyte SubsetsAdultAgedAntirheumatic AgentsArthritis, RheumatoidBiomarkersFemaleFlow CytometryHumansLymphocyte CountMaleMiddle AgedRituximabAntirheumatic AgentsBiomarkersRituximabBiomarkerLymphocytesPlasmablastsRheumatoid arthritisRituximabT cells

Identifiers

PMID27558631
PMCPMC4997751
OpenAlexW2516968938

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.