Figure 3

Comparison of relative effects of long-term B-cell depletion between total immunoglobulin secretion, autoantibody secretion and protective antibody secretion. Patients were treated with a fixed regimen of 6-monthly anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies at baseline, 6, 12 and 18 months with a follow-up of 24 months. (A) Median percentage change from baseline serum concentrations of total immunoglobulin G (total IgG), rheumatoid arthritis (RA)-specific anticitrullinated protein autoantibodies of the IgG isotype (ACPA-IgG) and IgG-isotype antibodies against measles (measles-IgG), mumps (mumps-IgG) and rubella (rubella-IgG). (B) Median percentage change from baseline serum concentrations of total IgM and RA-specific ACPA-IgM. (C) Median percentage change from baseline serum concentrations of total IgA and RA-specific ACPA-IgA. Brackets in (A) through (C) represent the nonparametric statistical comparison at 24 months between the represented (auto)antibodies and total IgG/IgA. * P < 0.05. For clear representation, log₂ scales are used for the y-axes.