Table 1.

Analysis the relationship between increased CD4⁺CD25^high T cells in patients with RA and disease activity, therapy, sex, age and lymphocyte subsets^a.

	HCb	RA1c	RA2	RA3	Statistical difference
	(n=44)	(n=31)	(n=37)	(n=31)	HC&RA1	HC&RA2	HC&RA3	RA1&RA2	RA1&RA3	RA2&RA3
Age	60 ± 11	61 ± 11	56 ± 12	59 ± 10	NSd	NS	NS	NS	NS	NS
Sex (F/M)	39/5	27/4	29/8	27/4	NS	NS	NS	NS	NS	NS
Disease activity (Number of swollen and tender joints)		27	27.9	26.9				NS	NS	NS
Treatment	No	NASIDs, DMARDs, Prednisone	NASIDs, DMARDs, Prednisone	NASIDs, DMARDs, Prednisone				NS	NS	NS
CD45+	1892 ± 90	1902 ± 101	1964 ± 132	1657 ± 126	NS	NS	NS	NS	NS	NS
CD3+	1295 ± 60	1456 ± 80	1587 ± 124	1153 ± 91	NS	P<0.05	NS	NS	P=0.01	P<0.01
CD3+CD4+	807 ± 37	1001 ± 64	1125 ± 86	877 ± 75	P<0.01	P<0.001	NS	NS	NS	P<0.05
CD3+CD8+	431 ± 27	452 ± 53	447 ± 53	273 ± 29	NS	NS	P<0.001	NS	P<0.01	P<0.01
CD4+CD25high	127 ± 9	125 ± 10	204 ± 16	335 ± 42	NS	P<0.001	P<0.001	P<0.001	P<0.001	P<0.01
CD4+CD25Low	254 ± 16	282 ± 23	351 ± 27	338 ± 37	NS	P<0.01	P<0.05	NS	NS	NS
CD4+CD25−	508 ± 36	599 ± 39	467 ± 36	227 ± 29	NS	NS	P<0.001	P<0.05	P<0.001	P<0.001
CD19+	218 ± 17	215 ± 20	285 ± 28	210 ± 25	NS	P<0.05	NS	P<0.05	NS	P<0.05
CD16–56+	222 ± 17	177 ± 18	227 ± 27	239 ± 27	NS	NS	NS	NS	NS	NS
Monocytes	380 ± 24	456 ± 35	546 ± 37	542 ± 48	NS	P<0.001	P=0.001	NS	NS	NS

^aLymphocyte subsets were first gated on CD45^brightSSC^low cells, and then assayed for three other markers by flow cytometry. Results are presented as mean ± SEM of the cell number/µL blood with use of TrueCount tubes.

^bHC denotes the healthy control population.

^cThe RA population was subdivided into those with a CD4CD25:CD4 ratio of ≤ 0.15 (RA1) and ≥ 0.22 (RA3). The RA2 group had an intermediate ratio (0.16–0.21)

^dNS, not significant.