IgA2 B cells and IgA2 anti-dsDNA antibodies are selectively targeted by belimumab after rituximab therapy in systemic lupus erythematosus.

No theragnostic biomarkers exist for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) to enable a precision medicine approach. Baseline serum IgA2 anti-double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) antibody levels are associated with response to combination belimumab after rituximab therapy in SLE (BEAT-lupus trial, ISRCTN 47873003). Analysis of the CALIBRATE trial (NCT02260934) confirms that baseline IgA2 anti-dsDNA antibody levels are specifically associated with response to belimumab after rituximab (odds ratio [OR] = 16.

Drug-survival profiling of second-line biologic therapy in rheumatoid arthritis: Choice of another tumour necrosis factor inhibitor or a biologic of different mode of action?

Objectives: To assess the best choice of second-line therapy between tumour necrosis factor-inhibitor (TNFi) and biologics of different-mode-of-action (BDMA-rituximab/tocilizumab/abatacept) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by evaluating drug-survival following discontinuation of the first-line TNFi.

Methods: This retrospective drug-survival study was performed across two different hospitals by conventional-statistics and machine-learning approach.

Results: From a total of 435 patients, 213 (48.

The synergistic efficacy of hydroxychloroquine with methotrexate is accompanied by increased erythrocyte mean corpuscular volume.

Objectives: To determine whether concomitant HCQ modulates the increase in erythrocyte mean corpuscular volume (MCV) caused by MTX therapy, and whether this is associated with improved clinical response in RA.

Methods: A retrospective observational analysis was conducted on two independent hospital datasets of biologic-naïve, early-RA patients who started oral MTX. Baseline characteristics, DAS28-ESR and monthly MCV after starting MTX were obtained.