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Anti IL6R Reduce Complement Serum Level in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients: Facts and Implications

Conditions
Rheumatoid Polyarthritis
Interventions
Other: Data extraction from medical files
Registration Number
NCT04505982
Lead Sponsor
BADOT, Valerie
Brief Summary

Interleukin 6 is identified as a cytokine with pro and anti-inflammatory effects, depending on the context to which it is exposed, exerting a role in the expansion and activation of T lymphocytes, in the survival, expansion and the maturation of B lymphocytes and plasmablasts as well as in the regulation of the acute phase response. The IL-6 receptor complex is a dimer in which each monomer is composed of an 80 kD subunit, IL-6R or CD126, expressed in hepatocytes, leukocytes and in megakaryocytes, which binds IL- 6 and a 130 kD subunit, gp130 or CD130, which is expressed ubiquitously. Its effects are mediated mainly by the way of tyrosine kinases of the Jaks family, and transcription factors of the STATs family.

The complement system is made up of a set of plasma proteins, cascading through three activation pathways (classical, alternate and lectin pathway). This system is considered part of innate immunity. It is also part of the acute phase response.The complement has several functions: cell lysis by formation of the membrane attack complex; opsonization and activation of phagocytosis of foreign particles, elimination of circulating immune complexes, and regulation of the adaptive immunity response and inflammation via anaphylatoxins.

After reviewing the literature, the link between IL6 and the complement system can be summarized as an induction of factor C3 and factor B, but also probably CD55 (DAF or Decay acceleration factor) and CD59 (MAC-IP or MAC-Inhibitory Protein) by interleukin-6. The effects of IL-6 on the lectin pathway, on the other hand, seem contradictory: inhibition or induction of the synthesis of MASP1 / 3 and 2 depending on the experimental model.

It has become common knowledge that anti-IL6 receptor monoclonal antibodies, used in the treatment of patients with rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory conditions, reduce the serum levels of acute phase proteins and in particular the levels of CRP. But what about other acute phase proteins and in particular the complement ?

A recent study showed that the serum levels of the complement components C3 and C4 were also reduced after the use of tocilizumab and this as early as 4 weeks after the first administration. To the investigator's knowledge, this is the only study reporting a decrease in complement during treatment with anti-IL6R.

This study would allow the evaluation of complement parameters in the population of patients under treatment with antiIL6R (tocilizumab or sarilumab) within the CHU Brugmann Hospital in order to

* confirm or not this observation

* look for a possible secondary clinical consequence

* compare this decrease with the activity of the disease in order to see if it could be a marker of effectiveness

* put this decrease in parallel with the side effects / tolerance of the treatment in order to see if it could be a marker of toxicity / safety

This study will also investigate the subpopulations of B lymphocytes (memory B, transitional B, and plasmablasts) in order to assess whether the evolution of one of these lines would be predictive of a therapeutic response.

Secondly, this study would eventually allow

* to improve the understanding of the mechanisms of action of the treatment on inflammatory markers by evaluating the activity of the residual complement

* to raise the need to find new parameters for monitoring inflammatory activity in these patients, since CRP assays are not very helpful.

Detailed Description

Not available

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
UNKNOWN
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
35
Inclusion Criteria
  • Patient ≥ 18 years old
  • Regular follow-up at CHU Brugmann Hospital for confirmed rheumatoid arthritis and meeting the ACR 2010 criteria
  • On tocilizumab / sarilumab or for which this treatment is about to be initiated, in intravenous or subcutaneous form
Exclusion Criteria
  • Patients with a known complement deficiency before their rheumatic pathology
  • Patient with hepatic impairment

Study & Design

Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Study Design
Not specified
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Tocilizumab intravenousData extraction from medical filesPatients followed in the CHU Brugmann Hospital for a rheumatoid polyarthritis and treated according to standard of care with tocilizumab, intravenous
Tocilizumab subcutaneousData extraction from medical filesPatients followed in the CHU Brugmann Hospital for a rheumatoid polyarthritis and treated according to standard of care with tocilizumab, subcutaneous
Sarilumab subcutaneousData extraction from medical filesPatients followed in the CHU Brugmann Hospital for a rheumatoid polyarthritis and treated according to standard of care with sarilumab, subcutaneous
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Complement fraction C4a count5 minutes

Complement fraction C4a count

Complement fraction FB count5 minutes

Complement fraction FB count

Demographic data5 minutes

Age, sex

Disease Activity Score Calculator for Rheumatoid Arthritis- DAS28VS5 minutes

The DAS28 is a measure of disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis . DAS stands for 'disease activity score' and the number 28 refers to the 28 joints that are examined in this assessment. A DAS28 of greater than 5.1 implies active disease, less than 3.2 low disease activity, and less than 2.6 remission.

Adverse events linked to the medication (descriptive listing)5 minutes

Adverse events linked to the medication (descriptive listing)

Hemogram: normal (yes/no)5 minutes

A hemogram contains all of the pertinent information required for assessment of hematopoiesis as well as a visual assessment of plasma appearance and measurement of total solids (an estimate of total protein) in plasma.

Leukocyte count5 minutes

Leukocyte count

Renal function: normal (yes/no)5 minutes

Renal function

Hepatic function: normal (yes/no)5 minutes

Hepatic function

Rheumatoid factor concentration5 minutes

Rheumatoid factor is an autoantibody that induces inflammation and damage to the joints.

Complement fraction C4 count5 minutes

Complement fraction C4 count

Body Mass Index5 minutes

Body Mass Index

Neoplasia5 minutes

Active neoplasia, or neoplasia dated less than 5 years

Disease Activity Score Calculator for Rheumatoid Arthritis- DAS28CRP5 minutes

The DAS28 is a measure of disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis . DAS stands for 'disease activity score' and the number 28 refers to the 28 joints that are examined in this assessment. A DAS28 of greater than 5.1 implies active disease, less than 3.2 low disease activity, and less than 2.6 remission.

Concomitant medication (descriptive listing)5 minutes

Concomitant medication (descriptive listing)

AntiCCP antibodies count5 minutes

The detection of anti-CCP antibodies is used to help diagnose and prognosticate rheumatoid arthritis and differentiate it from other types of arthritis

Complement fraction C1q count5 minutes

Complement fraction C1q count

Complement fraction C3d count5 minutes

Complement fraction C3d count

Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ)5 minutes

The Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (HAQ) is developed for the assessment of disability in patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis. It focuses on two dimensions of health status, physical disability (eight categories), and pain. The eight categories review a total of 20 specific functions and evaluate patient's difficulty with activities of daily living over the past week.

Glucose concentration in the blood5 minutes

Glucose concentration in the blood

FAN count5 minutes

FAN are autoantibodies against elements of the nucleus

Sedimentation rate5 minutes

Sedimentation rate

CRP count5 minutes

CRP count

Complement fraction C3a count5 minutes

Complement fraction C3a count

Vitamin D count5 minutes

Vitamin D count

Lipid balance: normal (yes/no)5 minutes

Lipid balance allows monitoring of cholesterol (LDL-cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol) and triglycerides

Mannose Binding lectin (MBL) count5 minutes

Mannose Binding lectin (MBL) count

Lymphocyte B count: transitional cells5 minutes

Lymphocyte B count: transitional cells

Medical History (descriptive listing)5 minutes

Medical History (descriptive listing)

Blood Ionogram: normal (yes/no)5 minutes

The blood ionogram analyses the ionic composition of the blood

Parathyroid hormone count5 minutes

Parathyroid hormone count

Complement fraction C3 count5 minutes

Complement fraction C3 count

Lectin complement pathway serine protease 2 (MASP-2) count5 minutes

Lectin complement pathway serine protease 2 (MASP-2) count

Complement fraction CH50 count5 minutes

Complement fraction CH50 count

Lymphocyte B count: memory cells5 minutes

Lymphocyte B count: memory cells

Lymphocyte B count: plasmablast cells5 minutes

Lymphocyte B count: plasmablast cells

Lectin count5 minutes

Lectin count

Complement SC5b9 count5 minutes

Complement SC5b9 count

Fibrinogen count5 minutes

Fibrinogen count

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Brugmann University Hospital

🇧🇪

Brussels, Belgium

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