IL-23/Th17 axis is not influenced by TNF-blocking agents in ankylosing spondylitis patients

Table 4 ASDAS-CRP comparison of cytokines in active-AS group responders and nonresponders after 24 months of TNF blockade, control-AS group, and healthy controls

				Control-AS group
	Active-AS patients after anti-TNF			(ASDAS-CRP <2.1; n = 21)		Healthy controls (n = 47)
Cytokine	Responders	Nonresponders	p value^a		p value^b		p value^c
	(ASDAS-CRP <2.1; n = 27)	(ASDAS-CRP ≥2.1; n = 20)
IL-17A (pg/ml)	2.17 (0.86–3.99)	1.04 (0.66–1.82)	<0.05	1.29 (1.10–2.17)	0.07	1.57 (1.04–2.17)	0.23
IL-22 (ng/ml)	0.00 (0.00–0.00)	0.00 (0.00–0.00)	0.99	0.00 (0.00–0.00)	0.71	0.00 (0.00–0.00)	0.64
IL-23 (ng/ml)	0.09 (0.03–0.21)	0.05 (0.02–0.13)	0.49	0.02 (0.01–0.06)	0.01	0.02 (0.00–0.05)	<0.001
PGE2 (pg/ml)	13.03 (4.30–56.59)	45.17 (10.92–93.76)	0.10	8.13 (4.17–23.07)	0.11	7.66 (3.30–30.32)	0.33

All values are expressed as the median (25–75 % interquartile range)
^aActive-AS group responders after 24 months of TNF blockade vs. nonresponders
^bActive-AS group responders after 24 months of TNF blockade vs. control-AS group (ASDAS-CRP <2.1)
^cActive-AS group responders after 24 months of TNF blockade vs. healthy controls
AS ankylosing spondylitis, ASDAS-CRP C-reactive protein Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score, IL interleukin, PGE2 prostaglandin E2, TNF tumor necrosis factor

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