Karen I. Maijer

The clinical picture of rheumatoid arthritis according to the 2010 American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism criteria: Is this still the same disease?

OBJECTIVE To examine the implications of using the new classification criteria for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in clinical practice in a cohort of patients with very early arthritis. METHODS The study group comprised 301 disease-modifying antirheumatic drug-naive patients with early arthritis. The baseline diagnosis was assessed by applying the 1987 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and 2010 ACR/European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) criteria for RA as well as established diagnostic criteria for other rheumatic diseases. Diagnostic and prognostic data were collected after 2 years of followup. Fulfillment of the 2010 ACR/EULAR criteria was evaluated in the subset of patients in whom undifferentiated arthritis (UA) was diagnosed when the 1987 ACR criteria were applied, and fulfillment of RA criteria over time was tested by applying the 2 different criteria sets. RESULTS The median arthritis duration at baseline was 4 months (range 0-12 months). At baseline, 28% of the patients fulfilled the 1987 ACR criteria, and 45% fulfilled the 2010 ACR/EULAR criteria for RA. Among the patients classified as having UA at baseline according to the 1987 ACR criteria, 36% had fulfilled the 2010 ACR/EULAR criteria already at baseline. Among the patients classified as having UA at baseline but who fulfilled the 1987 ACR criteria after 2 years of followup, 85% had fulfilled the 2010 ACR/EULAR criteria at baseline. Patients with early disease who fulfilled the 2010 ACR/EULAR criteria were less likely to be autoantibody positive and more likely to have monarthritis at presentation than those fulfilling the 1987 ACR criteria. CONCLUSION Use of the 2010 ACR/EULAR criteria clearly allows earlier diagnosis of RA, although the clinical picture is slightly different on the group level, and RA may be falsely diagnosed in some patients with self-limiting disease.

Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging Using Pharmacokinetic Modeling: Initial Experience in Patients With Early Arthritis.

Analysis of dynamic contrast‐enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE‐MRI) using pharmacokinetic modeling (PKM) provides quantitative measures that mirror microvessel integrity and can be used as an objective marker of the level of synovial inflammation. The aim of this study was to investigate the PKM parameters Ktrans, kep, and ve in a prospective cohort of disease‐modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD)–naive patients with early arthritis, and to validate the results by assessing their correlation with the number of synovial endothelial cells (ECs).

Lymph node biopsy analysis reveals an altered immunoregulatory balance already during the at‐risk phase of autoantibody positive rheumatoid arthritis

The balance between proinflammatory and regulatory CD4+ T cells is tightly controlled in lymphoid organs. In autoimmune diseases this balance is altered in the periphery and target tissue of patients. However, not much is known about the balance initiated in lymphoid organs during the development of disease. Since systemic autoimmunity is present years before the clinical manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), it is possible to study the immunoregulatory balance during the earliest (preclinical) phases of disease. Here, we report for the first time the frequency and phenotype of proinflammatory and regulatory CD4+ T cells in lymph node biopsies obtained from autoantibody positive individuals at risk for developing RA, patients with established disease and healthy controls. The frequency of proinflammatory LN Th1 cells was increased in RA patients compared with HCs, while the frequency of regulatory T cells was lower in LN biopsies of RA‐risk individuals. Upon in vitro stimulation LN CD4+ T cells produced lower levels of proinflammatory cytokines, IFN‐γ and IL‐17A, in both RA‐risk individuals and early RA patients. This study shows that already during the earliest phases of systemic autoimmunity the immunoregulatory balance between proinflammatory and regulatory CD4+ T cells is altered in LN tissue.

OP0182 Prevention of Rheumatoid Arthritis by B Cell Directed Therapy in The Earliest Phase of The Disease: The Prairi Study

Background Systemic autoimmunity may precede the development of clinical signs and symptoms of seropositive rheumatoid arthritis (RA), which offers a window of opportunity to delay or prevent clinically manifest arthritis by targeted intervention. This could represent a paradigm shift from treatment to prevention1. Objectives To explore if a single infusion of rituximab (anti-CD20 antibody) can prevent or delay the onset of clinically manifest arthritis in individuals at risk of developing autoantibody positive RA. Methods Eighty-two subjects with arthralgia who had never had clinically manifest arthritis and never used disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs were included in a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. They were positive for both anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA) and rheumatoid factor and they had CRP levels ≥3 mg/l and/or subclinical synovitis on ultrasound or MRI of the hands. Subjects were randomized to receive a single iv infusion of either 1000 mg rituximab or placebo after 100 mg methylprednisolone premedication in each group. Subjects were prospectively followed to assess development of clinically manifest arthritis. We performed Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, Cox regression analysis and determined Treatment*Time Cox proportional hazards. Results Eighty-one individuals (52 females; mean age 53 (IQR 13.5) years) received treatment, which was generally well tolerated. One patient withdrew before treatment. The median follow up was 27.0 months (IQR 25.0), during which 30 subjects developed arthritis: 16/40 (40%) in the placebo group and 14/41 (34%) in the rituximab group, after a median period of 11.5 (interquartile range [IQR] 12.5) months in the placebo group versus 16.5 (IQR 19.0) months in the rituximab group. Whereas the risk for development of arthritis in the placebo group was 40%, we found a reduction of 53% of this risk in the rituximab group at 18 months follow up (HR (95%CI)=0.475 (0.190–1.191)). At the 25% quartile (75% free of arthritis) of the cumulative arthritis-free survival, there was a delay in the development of arthritis of 12.0 months (12 months in the placebo group versus 24 months in the rituximab group. As expected, this effect attenuated over time. Treatment*Time Cox proportional hazard analysis showed that the beneficial effect of rituximab was statistically significant (P<0.0001) Conclusions A single infusion of 1000 mg rituximab significantly delays the development of arthritis in subjects at risk of developing RA. This is the first study evaluating the effects of a biopharmaceutical in this population, and the results strongly support the rationale for future clinical trials aimed at prevention of RA by a targeted intervention. References Gerlag DM, Norris JM, Tak PP. RA: from risk factors and pathogenesis to prevention: Towards prevention of autoantibody-positive rheumatoid arthritis: from lifestyle modification to preventive treatment. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2015 Sep 15. Review Acknowledgement N de Vries, DJ van Schaardenburg, E Brouwer, T Huizinga Disclosure of Interest D. Gerlag Shareholder of: GlaxoSmithKline, Grant/research support from: Dutch Arthritis Foundation, Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development, Employee of: GlaxoSmithKline, M. Safy: None declared, K. Maijer: None declared, M. de Hair: None declared, S. Tas: None declared, M. Starmans-Kool: None declared, A. van Tubergen: None declared, M. Janssen: None declared, P.-P. Tak Shareholder of: GlaxoSmithKline, Grant/research support from: Dutch Arthritis Foundation, Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development, Employee of: GlaxoSmithKline

Stromal cell markers are differentially expressed in the synovial tissue of patients with early arthritis

Introduction Previous studies have shown increased expression of stromal markers in synovial tissue (ST) of patients with established rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Here, ST expression of stromal markers in early arthritis in relationship to diagnosis and prognostic outcome was studied. Methods ST from 56 patients included in two different early arthritis cohorts and 7 non-inflammatory controls was analysed using immunofluorescence to detect stromal markers CD55, CD248, fibroblast activation protein (FAP) and podoplanin. Diagnostic classification (gout, psoriatic arthritis, unclassified arthritis (UA), parvovirus associated arthritis, reactive arthritis and RA), disease outcome (resolving vs persistent) and clinical variables were determined at baseline and after follow-up, and related to the expression of stromal markers. Results We observed expression of all stromal markers in ST of early arthritis patients, independent of diagnosis or prognostic outcome. Synovial expression of FAP was significantly higher in patients developing early RA compared to other diagnostic groups and non-inflammatory controls. In RA FAP protein was expressed in both lining and sublining layers. Podoplanin expression was higher in all early inflammatory arthritis patients than controls, but did not differentiate diagnostic outcomes. Stromal marker expression was not associated with prognostic outcomes of disease persistence or resolution. There was no association with clinical or sonographic variables. Conclusions Stromal cell markers CD55, CD248, FAP and podoplanin are expressed in ST in the earliest stage of arthritis. Baseline expression of FAP is higher in early synovitis patients who fulfil classification criteria for RA over time. These results suggest that significant fibroblast activation occurs in RA in the early window of disease.

Serum Vaspin Levels Are Associated with the Development of Clinically Manifest Arthritis in Autoantibody-Positive Individuals.

Objectives We have previously shown that overweight may increase the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in autoantibody positive individuals. Adipose tissue could contribute to the development of RA by production of various bioactive peptides. Therefore, we examined levels of adipokines in serum and synovial tissue of subjects at risk of RA. Methods Fifty-one individuals positive for immunoglobulin M rheumatoid factor (IgM-RF) and/or anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA), without arthritis, were included in this prospective study. Levels of adiponectin, vaspin, resistin, leptin, chemerin and omentin were determined in baseline fasting serum samples (n = 27). Synovial tissue was obtained by arthroscopy at baseline and we examined the expression of adiponectin, resistin and visfatin by immunohistochemistry. Results The development of clinically manifest arthritis after follow-up was associated with baseline serum vaspin levels (HR1.5 (95% CI 1.1 to 2.2); p = 0.020), also after adjustment for overweight (HR1.7 (95% CI 1.1 to 2.5); p = 0.016). This association was not seen for other adipokines. Various serum adipokine levels correlated with BMI (adiponectin r = -0.538, leptin r = 0.664; chemerin r = 0.529) and systemic markers of inflammation such as CRP levels at baseline (adiponectin r = -0.449, omentin r = -0.557, leptin r = 0.635, chemerin r = 0.619, resistin r = 0.520) and ESR (leptin r = 0.512, chemerin r = 0.708), p-value<0.05. Synovial expression of adiponectin, resistin and visfatin was not associated with development of clinically manifest arthritis. Conclusions In this exploratory study, serum adipokines were associated with an increased inflammatory state in autoantibody-positive individuals at risk of developing RA. Furthermore, serum vaspin levels may assist in predicting the development of arthritis in these individuals.

Dynamic contrast‐enhanced magnetic resonance imaging using pharmacokinetic modeling: Initial experience in early arthritis patients

Analysis of dynamic contrast‐enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE‐MRI) using pharmacokinetic modeling (PKM) provides quantitative measures that mirror microvessel integrity and can be used as an objective marker of the level of synovial inflammation. The aim of this study was to investigate the PKM parameters Ktrans, kep, and ve in a prospective cohort of disease‐modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD)–naive patients with early arthritis, and to validate the results by assessing their correlation with the number of synovial endothelial cells (ECs).

Nuclear Factor-κB–inducing Kinase Is Expressed in Synovial Endothelial Cells in Patients with Early Arthritis and Correlates with Markers of Inflammation: A Prospective Cohort Study

Objective. The nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) family of transcription factors is strongly involved in synovial inflammation. We have previously shown that NF-κB–inducing kinase (NIK) is a key regulator of inflammation-induced angiogenesis in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) synovial tissue (ST). Here, we investigated synovial NIK expression in patients with early arthritis and in autoantibody-positive individuals at risk of developing RA. Methods. ST biopsies were obtained by arthroscopy from 154 patients with early arthritis (duration < 1 yr) with various diagnoses and 54 IgM rheumatoid factor–positive and/or anticitrullinated protein antibodies–positive individuals without evidence of arthritis. ST was stained for NIK and endothelial cell (EC) markers. Additionally, measures of disease activity were collected and contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed in a subset of these patients. Results. In patients with early arthritis, NIK was predominantly expressed in EC of small blood vessels. Further, NIK expression correlated with erythrocyte sedimentation rate (r 0.184, p = 0.024), C-reactive protein (r 0.194, p = 0.017), joint swelling (r 0.297, p < 0.001), synovial immune cell markers (lining r 0.585, p < 0.001; sublining macrophages r 0.728, p < 0.001; T cells r 0.733, p < 0.001; and B cells r 0.264, p = 0.040), MRI effusion (r 0.665, p < 0.001), MRI synovitis (r 0.632, p < 0.001), and MRI total score (r 0.569, p < 0.001). In 18.5% of autoantibody-positive individuals, ST NIK+EC were present, but this was not predictive of the development of arthritis. Conclusion. NIK+EC are present in the earliest phase of synovial inflammation and may be indicative of high angiogenic activity in the inflamed ST. Therefore, NIK+EC may play an important role in the persistence of synovitis. Collectively, our data underscore the importance of angiogenesis in synovial inflammation and identify NIK as a potential therapeutic target in arthritis.

Neo-Epitopes--Fragments of Cartilage and Connective Tissue Degradation in Early Rheumatoid Arthritis and Unclassified Arthritis.

Objective Tissue destruction in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is predominantly mediated by matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), thereby generating protein fragments. Previous studies have revealed that these fragments include MMP-mediated collagen type I, II, and III degradation, citrullinated and MMP-degraded vimentin and MMP degraded C-reactive protein. We evaluated if biomarkers measuring serum levels of specific sequences of the mentioned fragments would provide further information of diagnostic and/or prognostic processes in early arthritis. Methods Ninety-two early arthritis patients (arthritis duration<1 year, DMARD naïve) were enrolled. Patients either fulfilled the ACR/EULAR2010 criteria for RA (n = 60) or had unclassified arthritis (UA) (n = 32). Patients fulfilling the RA criteria after 2 years follow-up were classified into non-erosive (n = 25), or erosive disease (n = 13). Concentrations of the biomarkers: C1M, C2M, C3M, VICM and CRPM were measured in baseline serum. Results C1M, C3M and CRPM were able to discriminate between the UA and RA baseline diagnosis in 92 patients with an AUROC of 0.64 (95%CI 0.517 to 0.762), 0.73 (95%CI 0.622 to 0.838) and 0.68 (95%CI 0.570 to 0.795). C2M showed a potential for discrimination between non-erosive and erosive disease in 38 patients with an AUROC of 0.75 (95%CI 0.597 to 0.910). All of the applied biomarkers correlated with one or more of the disease activity parameters: DAS28, ESR, CRP, SJC66, TJC68 and/or HAQ. Conclusion This is the first study evaluating the applied biomarkers at this early stage of arthritis. C1M, C3M, CRPM might be the best diagnostic marker, whereas high levels of C2M indicated progression of disease at follow-up in early RA patients.

Does the multi-biomarker disease activity score have diagnostic value in early rheumatoid arthritis and unclassified arthritis?

The 2010 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) / European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) updated classification criteria for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) focus on identifying patients at early disease stage.1 They facilitate early implementation of RA disease-modifying therapy, which has been associated with improved clinical and structural outcomes.2 ,3 Some patients with inflammatory oligoarthritis or polyarthritis initially not meeting RA classification criteria and classified with undifferentiated arthritis (UA) based on clinical and laboratory assessments, might later fulfil those criteria.4 Diagnosing these patients earlier would enable better therapeutic intervention and suppression of RA disease activity.5–7 The multi-biomarker disease activity (MBDA) score, calculated from the concentrations of 12 serum biomarkers, is an objective validated disease activity measure for patients with RA. It has been shown to track disease activity in patients with early and established RA, treatment-naive or not, and to associate with risk of radiographic progression.8 Here we investigated whether the MBDA score might inform RA diagnosis in patients with UA. We evaluated 126 patients from the prospective Synoviomics cohort9; 81 fulfilled ACR/EULAR 2010 criteria for RA and 45 …