Table 1.

Clinical features of patients and response to tocilizumab

Sample code	37-5	37-7	50-2	50-4	51-1	51-3	53-2	53-4
Sample type	N	N	P, N	P, N	P, N	P, N	P, N	P, N
Conditions	Pre-TOC	12 weeks TOC	Pre-TOC	12 weeks TOC	Pre-TOC	12 weeks TOC	Pre-TOC	12 weeks TOC
Ethnicity	Caucasian		Caucasian		Asian		Caucasian
Gender	Male		Female		Male		Female
Age at onset (AAO)	7 years		9 years		14 years		4 years
Disease duration	3.4 years		7 years		10 months		9 months
Fever	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	No
Rash	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
Total WCC (lymphocytes) x 109/L	22.22 (1.36)	10.76 (4.99)	10.51 (1.28)	5.58 (2.67)	N/D	5.84 (2.52)	13.98 (4.80)	8.09 (4.03)
CRP (mg/l), 0-20 normal range	84	<5	24	<5	13.6	<3	56	<5
ESR (mm/h), 0–10 normal range	65	<1	29	3	N/D	1	35	<1
Joint active	6	0	22	10	6	0	51	0
Joint limited motion	6	0	30	12	7	0	49	3
Parental VAS	N/D	0	6.8	1	2.8	0.4	5	2.2
Physician VAS	5	0	8	4	3	1	8	0.4
CHAQ	1.75	0	1.5	0.38	0	0	1.13	0.5
ACR	-	90	-	90	-	90	-	90

The demographics, clinical and laboratory parameters of the patients whose peripheral blood was used in this study are shown. For each patient, baseline measurements were taken before starting tocilizumab (TOC) treatment, and 12 weeks later. Normal range for total white cell count (WCC) is 4.5–13.5 × 10⁹/L and for lymphocytes 1.5–7 × 10⁹/L. The different types of samples taken/analysed were: PBMC = P; and Neutrophils = N. There are 3 paired samples for PBMC (P) and 4 for neutrophils (N). Response to treatment was determined by ACR90 response definition of improvement in juvenile arthritis [47], plus normalisation of the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C reactive protein (CRP). N/D not determined, VAS visual analogue score, CHAQ child health assessment questionnaire, ACR American College of Rheumatology