Fig. 3

T cell numbers are reduced after treatment with rituximab (RTX) but do not correlate with clinical response. CD45⁺CD3⁺ (a, c) and CD45⁺CD3⁺CD4⁺ (b, d) lymphocytes of all patients were analyzed at the indicated time points after treatment with RTX (a, b) or at week 24, separated according to European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) response and disease activity in 28 joints (DAS28) at week 24 (c, d). Data are presented as percentage change of the indicated lymphocyte subset compared to baseline (BL). Boxes represent the median, with 50 % of cases within the boxes. Whiskers represent the minimum and maximum. Statistical significance was assessed using the Wilcoxon matched pairs test (a, b) and one-way analysis of variance (c, d); *P <0.05, **P <0.01. R responders, NR non-responders