BackgroundThe aim of this work was to analyze the number and distribution of circulating monocytes, and of their CD14+highCD16−, CD14+highCD16+ and CD14+lowCD16+ subset cells, in treatment-naive patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and to determine their value in predicting the clinical response to methotrexate (MTX) treatment.MethodsThis prospective work investigated the number of circulating monocytes, and the numbers of CD14+highCD16−, CD14+highCD16+ and CD14+lowCD16+ subset cells, in 52 untreated patients with RA before MTX treatment, and at 3 and 6 months into treatment, using flow cytometry.ResultsThe absolute number of circulating monocytes, and the numbers of CD14+highCD16−, CD14+highCD16+ and CD14+lowCD16+ subset cells, were significantly higher in MTX non-responders than in responders and healthy controls before starting and throughout treatment. Responders showed normal numbers of monocytes, and of their subset cells, over the study period. The pre-treatment absolute number of circulating monocytes, and the numbers of CD14+highCD16− and CD14+highCD16+ subset cells, were found to be predictive of the clinical response to MTX, with a sensitivity and specificity of >70% and >88%, respectively.ConclusionsTreatment-naive patients with RA showed an anomalous distribution of circulating monocyte subsets, and an anomalous number of cells in each subset. A higher pre-treatment number of circulating monocytes, and higher numbers of CD14+highCD16− and CD14+highCD16+ subset cells, predict a reduced clinical response to MTX in untreated patients with RA.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12967-014-0375-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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IntroductionThe treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients with anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) biological drugs has dramatically improved the prognosis of these patients. However, a third of the treated patients do not respond to this therapy. Thus, the search for biomarkers of clinical response to these agents is currently highly active. Our aim is to analyze the number and distribution of circulating monocytes, and of their CD14+highCD16-, CD14+highCD16+ and CD14+lowCD16+ subsets in methotrexate (MTX) non-responder patients with RA, and to determine their value in predicting the clinical response to adalimumab plus MTX treatment.MethodsThis prospective work investigated the number of circulating monocytes, and of their CD14+highCD16-, CD14+highCD16+ and CD14+lowCD16+ subsets, in 35 MTX non-responder patients with RA before and after three and six months of anti-TNFα treatment using multiparametric flow cytometry. The number of circulating monocytes in an age- and sex-matched healthy population was monitored as a control.ResultsNon-responder patients with RA show an increased number of monocytes and of their CD14+highCD16-, CD14+highCD16+ and CD14+lowCD16+ subsets after three months of adalimumab plus MTX treatment that remained significantly increased at six months. In contrast, significant normalization of the numbers of circulating monocytes was found in responders at three months of adalimumab plus MTX treatment that lasts up to six months. CX3CR1 expression is increased in monocytes in non-responders. At three months of anti-TNFα treatment the number of circulating monocytes and their subsets was associated with at least 80% sensitivity, 84% specificity and an 86% positive predictive value (PPV) in terms of discriminating between eventual early responders and non-responders.ConclusionsThe absolute number of circulating monocytes and of their CD14+highCD16-, CD14+highCD16+ and CD14+lowCD16+ subsets at three months of adalimumab plus MTX treatment, have a predictive value (with high specificity and sensitivity) in terms of the clinical response after six months of anti-TNFα treatment in patients with RA.

The present study was undertaken to assess mortality, causes of death, and associated prognostic factors in a large cohort of patients diagnosed with idiopathic inflammatory myositis (IIM) from Spain. A retrospective longitudinal study was carried out in 467 consecutive patients with IIM, identified from 12 medical centers. Patients were classified as primary polymyositis, primary dermatomyositis (DM), overlap myositis, cancer-associated myositis (CAM), and juvenile idiopathic inflammatory myopathies. A total of 113 deaths occurred (24%) after a median follow-up time of 9.7 years. In the overall cohort, the 2-, 5-, and 10-year survival probabilities were 91.9, 86.7, and 77%, respectively. Main causes of death were infections and cancer (24% each). Multivariate model revealed that CAM (HR = 24.06), OM (HR = 12.00), DM (HR = 7.26), higher age at diagnosis (HR = 1.02), severe infections (HR = 3.66), interstitial lung disease (HR = 1.61), and baseline elevation of acute phase reactants (HR = 3.03) were associated with a worse prognosis, while edema of the hands (HR = 0.39), female gender (HR = 0.39), and longer disease duration (HR = 0.73) were associated with a better prognosis. The standardized mortality ratio was 1.56 (95% CI 1.28-1.87) compared to the Spanish general population. Our findings indicate that IIM has a high long-term mortality, with an excess of mortality compared to the Spanish population. A more aggressive therapy may be required in IIM patients presenting with poor predictive factors.

Background: Inflammatory idiopathic myositis (IIM) comprises a heterogeneous group of systemic muscular diseases that can occur together with other connective tissue diseases (CTD), named overlap myositis (OM). The question of whether OM is a distinct entity still remains controversial. Aim: The present study was conducted to assess the clinical and prognostic differences between patients diagnosed with OM, primary polymyositis (PM) and primary dermatomyositis (DM). Method: The study consists of a retrospective longitudinal and multicenter series of IIM patients. Patients were classified as OM, PM and DM. Overlap myositis was defined as patients fulfilling criteria for IIM plus criteria for other CTD (namely systemic sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, mixed connective tissue disease, rheumatoid arthritis and primary Sjögren's syndrome).