Demographic data and mRNA expression levels of NLRP3 inflammasome components as well as downstream cytokines in active patients with AOSD and HC. Values are n (%) or median (interquartile range) unless otherwise specified.
| Characteristics | AOSD, n = 34 | HC, n = 14 |
|---|---|---|
| Age at study entry, yrs, mean ± SD | 32.7 ± 11.1 | 33.4 ± 5.7 |
| Proportion of females | 26 (76.5) | 12 (85.7) |
| Oral corticosteroids in active phase | 34 (100) | NA |
| The sDMARD used in active phase | ||
| Methotrexate | 27 (79.4) | NA |
| Hydroxychloroquine | 22 (64.7) | NA |
| Sulfasalazine | 16 (47.1) | NA |
| Azathioprine | 11 (32.4) | NA |
| Cyclosporine | 10 (29.4) | NA |
| bDMARD (TCZ) | 5 (14.7) | NA |
| NLRP3 mRNA expression levels | 4.8 (3.0–12.1)** | 0.8 (0.6–1.6) |
| Caspase-1 mRNA expression levels | 1.9 (0.9–5.0)* | 1.0 (0.8–1.3) |
| IL-1β mRNA expression levels | 10.7 (4.9–20.3)** | 0.7 (0.3–0.8) |
| IL-18 mRNA expression levels | 2.4 (1.5–13.4)* | 0.9 (0.5–1.2) |
| Propensity Score Matching for Age | AOSD, n = 14 | HC, n = 14 |
|---|---|---|
| NLRP3 mRNA expression levels | 4.6 (1.7–14.0)** | 0.8 (0.6–1.6) |
| Caspase-1 mRNA expression levels | 1.5 (1.1–4.1)* | 1.0 (0.8–1.3) |
| IL-1β mRNA expression levels | 15.0 (6.6–29.3)** | 0.7 (0.3–0.8) |
| IL-18 mRNA expression levels | 3.2 (1.5–26.6)** | 0.9 (0.5–1.2) |
↵* p < 0.05,
↵** p < 0.001, versus HC, was determined by Mann-Whitney U test. NLRP: NLR containing a pyrin domain; AOSD: adult-onset Still disease; HC: healthy controls; DMARD: disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs; sDMARD: synthetic DMARD; bDMARD: biologic DMARD; IL-1β: interleukin 1β; NA: not applicable; TCZ: tocilizumab.