Low Baseline Interleukin-17A Levels Are Associated with Better Treatment Response at 12 Weeks to Tocilizumab Therapy in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients

Figure 1

Baseline IL-17A levels are lower in the patients who reached DAS28 ESR remission at 12 weeks of tocilizumab treatment. Baseline serum levels of TNF-α (a), IL-6 (b), sIL-6R (c), IL-21 (e), and IL-23 (f) did not differ between the patients with DAS28 ESR remission () and nonremission () at 12 weeks of tocilizumab treatment. Only IL-17A levels were significantly lower in the remission patients (d). Of note, sIL-6R levels were not checked in healthy controls. Dot represents each person and bars represent the mean value and SEM. value was assessed by Mann-Whitney U test. HC = healthy controls and N/A = not assayed.

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