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

Figure 3

Low baseline levels of IL-17A are associated with DAS28 ESR remission at 12 weeks of tocilizumab treatment. A significantly higher proportion of patients in the IL-17A low group achieved DAS28 remission at 12 weeks as compared to the IL-17A high group (47.6 versus 17.4%, ) by Fisher’s exact test (a). Individual DAS28 ESR improved in both groups. However, the improvement in DAS28 ESR was more profound in the IL-17A low group with higher remission rate (b). The improvement in DAS28 ESR was better in the IL-17A low group at 12 weeks () and 24 weeks () after tocilizumab treatment after adjusting for baseline DAS28 ESR, RF positivity, and levels of TNF-α, IL-21, and IL-23. Data represents mean value ± SEM (c).

(a)

(b)

(c)