Table 2.
Baseline characteristics and disease activity measures of patients before IL-2 treatment (N = 41).
| Variables | Non-IL-2 group (N = 15) | IL-2 group (N = 26) | p-value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Female/male | 12/3 | 15/11 | 0.212 |
| Mean age, years, mean ± SD | 54.31 ± 17.85 | 55.65 ± 11.30 | 0.917 |
| Duration of RA, month, mean ± SD | 79.19 ± 71.60 | 136.81 ± 138.11 | 0.429 |
| Prednisone dose, mg/day, median (quartile range) | 15 (10, 15) | 10 (7.9, 15) | 0.192 |
| DMARDs | Yes | Yes | |
| NSAIDs | Yes | Yes | |
| Blood routine | Mean ± SD | Mean ± SD | |
| RBC, ×1012/L | 4.27 ± 0.47 | 4.27 ± 0.48 | 0.981 |
| Hemoglobin, g/L | 123.97 ± 17.75 | 133.8 ± 142.46 | 0.556 |
| Platelet, ×109/L | 307.35 ± 102.16 | 287.19 ± 94.36 | 0.526 |
| Lymphocyte, ×109/L | 1.72 ± 0.58 | 1.50 ± 0.51 | 0.220 |
| Liver function | |||
| Alanine aminotransferase, U/L | 16.75 ± 6.78 | 17.26 ± 10.78 | 0.871 |
| Aspartate aminotransferase, U/L | 18.27 ± 6.00 | 18.23 ± 7.24 | 0.984 |
| Renal function | |||
| Blood urea nitrogen, mmol/L | 5.28 ± 1.38 | 4.88 ± 1.52 | 0.403 |
| Creatinine, mmol/L | 53.93 ± 17.72 | 54.32 ± 15.48 | 0.943 |
| Disease activity measures | |||
| DAS28-ESR | 5.50 ± 1.35 | 5.31 ± 1.18 | 0.649 |
| Erythrocyte sedimentation rate, mm/h | 60.90 ± 32.57 | 53.92 ± 35.74 | 0.536 |
| C-reactive protein, mg/L | 57.18 ± 78.34 | 33.15 ± 37.84 | 0.192 |
| 28 tender joint count | 10.30 ± 8.90 | 10.54 ± 8.79 | 0.943 |
| 28 swollen joint count | 5.30 ± 6.00 | 4.15 ± 5.03 | 0.504 |
Patients were randomly divided into two groups. There was no difference in sex, age, duration, and conventional drug treatments between the two groups (p > 0.05). Liver and renal functions had no significant differences, too (p > 0.05). No significant differences in disease activity measures such as DAS28, ESR, CRP, and 28 tender and swollen joint counts between the two groups (p > 0.05).
DMARDs, disease-modifying antirheumatic drug; NSAIDs: non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.