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Fig. 3 | Arthritis Research & Therapy

Fig. 3

From: First exposure to rituximab is associated to high rate of anti-drug antibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus but not in ANCA-associated vasculitis

Fig. 3

Changes in disease activity in SLE patients, as measured by SLEDAI-2 K. a The SLEDAI-2 K score shows a significant reduction in the whole SLE cohort (N = 65, one value missing) from baseline to 6-months follow-up, with significant reduction that is confirmed also for patients ADA-positive and ADA-negative at 6-months follow-up (Wilcoxon signed-rank test, p < 0.0001). When evaluated at 6-months follow-up, the ADA-positive patients showed however higher SLEDAI-2 K values compared to ADA-negative patients (Mann–Whitney test p = 0.004). b Similar behaviour, with significant reduction of SLEDAI-2 K between baseline and 6-months follow-up, was observed for lupus nephritis (LN) patients and maintained whether they were ADA-positive or ADA negative at follow-up (Wilcoxon signed-rank test p < 0.0001 for all). Also in LN patients, SLEDAI-2 K values at 6-months follow-up were higher in ADA-positive patients compared to ADA-negative ones (Mann–Whitney test, p = 0.02). c Patients treated for clinical indications other than lupus nephritis (non-lupus nephritis, non-LN) also showed a significant reduction of the SLEDAI-2 K at a group level and in both ADA-positive and ADA-negative subgroups (Wilcoxon signed-rank test p < 0.0001, p = ns and p < 0.0001, respectively). In these patients, SLEDAI-2 K values, measured at 6-months, did not differ in a statistically meaningful manner, between ADA-positive and ADA-negative subgroups (Mann–Whitney test, p = 0.37)

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