Clin own data

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Clinical data from IIR

For the specialist...

Sera from 176 RA patients included in a prospective study over 30 years were analysed for IL-1a aAb by binding to human 125I-IL-1a. Erosions of 19 joints were radiographically scored by the method of Larsen.

Ref.: Graudal N, Svenson M, Tarp U, Garred P, Jurik A-G, Bendtzen K. Autoantibodies against interleukin 1a in rheumatoid arthritis: Association with long-term radiographic outcome. Ann Rheum Dis 2002; 61: 598-602.

As shown in the figure, our data show that:

RA patients with high initial (0-2 years after diagnosis) blood levels of IL-1a aAb were the ones with mild disease manifestations and minimal signs of joint erosions.
all RA patients without detectable IL-1a aAb developed severe erosions within 25 years of observation, in half the patients within 10-15 years.
patients converting from an IL-1a aAb-negative to an IL-1a aAb-positive state during disease had particularly rapid development of severe erosions.

The IL-1a aAb-positive and -negative patient groups are defined by the presence and absence of IL-1a aAb during the early course of the disease. The IL-1a aAb seroconversion group is defined as those initially negative who seroconverted during the course of the disease.

Conclusions and perspectives:

Detection of IL-1a aAb in newly diagnosed RA patients predicts non-erosive disease and serve to select patients for less aggressive anti-arthritic therapies.

Follow-up measurements of IL-1a aAb in patients initially negative for these aAb may select patients with the most aggressive form of the disease. This would help to select patients in time to initiate preventive therapy and to avoid giving aggressive and costly therapies to those with good prognosis.