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Autoantibodies against interleukin 1 in rheumatoid arthritis: association with long term radiographic outcome

N A Graudal^1,5, M Svenson¹, U Tarp², P Garred⁴, A-G Jurik³, K Bendtzen¹

¹ Institute for Inflammation Research, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
² Department of Rheumatology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
³ Department of Radiology, Aarhus University Hospital
⁴ Tissue Typing Laboratory of the Department of Clinical Immunology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
⁵ Department of Rheumatology, Gentofte University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Dr N A Graudal, Institute for Inflammation Research, Rigshospitalet, Tagensvej 20, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark;
graudal{at}dadlnet.dk

Objectives: To investigate the possible association of interleukin 1 autoantibodies (IL1 aAb) with the long term course of joint erosion in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: Serum samples from 176 patients with RA included in a prospective study over 30 years were analysed for IL1 aAb by binding to human [¹²⁵I]IL1. Erosions of 19 diarthrodial joints were radiographically scored by the Larsen method.

Results: The relative risk (RR) of early IL1 aAb positive patients developing at least 30% of maximum radiographic joint destruction was significantly lower than for IL1 aAb negative patients, RR=0.29 (p=0.04). In rheumatoid factor positive patients RR was only 0.18 (p=0.02). Patients who seroconverted more than two years after the onset of RA showed the most aggressive development of joint erosion, with a relative risk of at least 40% of maximum radiographic joint destruction of 2.56 (p=0.048)

Conclusions: The progression of radiographic joint destruction in patients with RA is associated with, and perhaps modified by, circulating IL1 aAb, suggesting that IL1 or IL1 aAb, or both, have a role in the erosive processes. IL1 aAb appear to be of prognostic significance in RA.

Keywords: autoantibodies; cytokine; interleukin 1; rheumatoid arthritis

Abbreviations: aAb, autoantibodies; IL, interleukin; ra, receptor antagonist; RA, rheumatoid arthritis; TNF tumour necrosis factor

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