Serum Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Levels Lack Predictive Value in Patients with Active Ankylosing Spondylitis Treated with Golimumab

From Rheumatology, Rheumazentrum Ruhrgebiet, Herne; Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum; Radiology, Charité Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany; Biostatistics, and Immunology, Janssen Research & Development LLC, Spring House, Pennsylvania, USA. Supported by Janssen Research & Development LLC and Merck/Schering- Plough Research Institute Inc. J. Braun has received honoraria for talks, advisory boards, paid consultancies, and grants for studies from Janssen. S. Xu and B. Hsu are employees of Janssen. J. Braun, MD, Department of Rheumatology, Rheumazentrum Ruhrgebiet, and Ruhr-University Bochum; X. Baraliakos, MD, Department of Rheumatology, Rheumazentrum Ruhrgebiet, and Ruhr-University Bochum; K.G. Hermann, MD, PhD, Radiology, Charité Universitätsmedizin; S. Xu, MS, Biostatistics, Janssen Research & Development LLC; B. Hsu, MD, PhD, Immunology, Janssen Research & Development LLC. Address correspondence to Prof. J. Braun, Rheumazentrum Ruhrgebiet, Claudiusstr. 45, 44649 Herne, Germany. E-mail: j.braun@rheumazentrum-ruhrgebiet.de. Full Release Article. For details see Reprints/Permissions at jrheum.org. Accepted for publication January 9, 2016.

From Rheumatology, Rheumazentrum Ruhrgebiet, Herne; Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum; Radiology, Charité Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany; Biostatistics, and Immunology, Janssen Research & Development LLC, Spring House, Pennsylvania, USA. Supported by Janssen Research & Development LLC and Merck/Schering- Plough Research Institute Inc. J. Braun has received honoraria for talks, advisory boards, paid consultancies, and grants for studies from Janssen. S. Xu and B. Hsu are employees of Janssen. J. Braun, MD, Department of Rheumatology, Rheumazentrum Ruhrgebiet, and Ruhr-University Bochum; X. Baraliakos, MD, Department of Rheumatology, Rheumazentrum Ruhrgebiet, and Ruhr-University Bochum; K.G. Hermann, MD, PhD, Radiology, Charité Universitätsmedizin; S. Xu, MS, Biostatistics, Janssen Research & Development LLC; B. Hsu, MD, PhD, Immunology, Janssen Research & Development LLC. Address correspondence to Prof. J. Braun, Rheumazentrum Ruhrgebiet, Claudiusstr. 45, 44649 Herne, Germany. E-mail: j.braun@rheumazentrum-ruhrgebiet.de. Full Release Article. For details see Reprints/Permissions at jrheum.org. Accepted for publication January 9, 2016.

From Rheumatology, Rheumazentrum Ruhrgebiet, Herne; Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum; Radiology, Charité Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany; Biostatistics, and Immunology, Janssen Research & Development LLC, Spring House, Pennsylvania, USA. Supported by Janssen Research & Development LLC and Merck/Schering- Plough Research Institute Inc. J. Braun has received honoraria for talks, advisory boards, paid consultancies, and grants for studies from Janssen. S. Xu and B. Hsu are employees of Janssen. J. Braun, MD, Department of Rheumatology, Rheumazentrum Ruhrgebiet, and Ruhr-University Bochum; X. Baraliakos, MD, Department of Rheumatology, Rheumazentrum Ruhrgebiet, and Ruhr-University Bochum; K.G. Hermann, MD, PhD, Radiology, Charité Universitätsmedizin; S. Xu, MS, Biostatistics, Janssen Research & Development LLC; B. Hsu, MD, PhD, Immunology, Janssen Research & Development LLC. Address correspondence to Prof. J. Braun, Rheumazentrum Ruhrgebiet, Claudiusstr. 45, 44649 Herne, Germany. E-mail: j.braun@rheumazentrum-ruhrgebiet.de. Full Release Article. For details see Reprints/Permissions at jrheum.org. Accepted for publication January 9, 2016.

From Rheumatology, Rheumazentrum Ruhrgebiet, Herne; Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum; Radiology, Charité Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany; Biostatistics, and Immunology, Janssen Research & Development LLC, Spring House, Pennsylvania, USA. Supported by Janssen Research & Development LLC and Merck/Schering- Plough Research Institute Inc. J. Braun has received honoraria for talks, advisory boards, paid consultancies, and grants for studies from Janssen. S. Xu and B. Hsu are employees of Janssen. J. Braun, MD, Department of Rheumatology, Rheumazentrum Ruhrgebiet, and Ruhr-University Bochum; X. Baraliakos, MD, Department of Rheumatology, Rheumazentrum Ruhrgebiet, and Ruhr-University Bochum; K.G. Hermann, MD, PhD, Radiology, Charité Universitätsmedizin; S. Xu, MS, Biostatistics, Janssen Research & Development LLC; B. Hsu, MD, PhD, Immunology, Janssen Research & Development LLC. Address correspondence to Prof. J. Braun, Rheumazentrum Ruhrgebiet, Claudiusstr. 45, 44649 Herne, Germany. E-mail: j.braun@rheumazentrum-ruhrgebiet.de. Full Release Article. For details see Reprints/Permissions at jrheum.org. Accepted for publication January 9, 2016.

From Rheumatology, Rheumazentrum Ruhrgebiet, Herne; Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum; Radiology, Charité Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany; Biostatistics, and Immunology, Janssen Research & Development LLC, Spring House, Pennsylvania, USA. Supported by Janssen Research & Development LLC and Merck/Schering- Plough Research Institute Inc. J. Braun has received honoraria for talks, advisory boards, paid consultancies, and grants for studies from Janssen. S. Xu and B. Hsu are employees of Janssen. J. Braun, MD, Department of Rheumatology, Rheumazentrum Ruhrgebiet, and Ruhr-University Bochum; X. Baraliakos, MD, Department of Rheumatology, Rheumazentrum Ruhrgebiet, and Ruhr-University Bochum; K.G. Hermann, MD, PhD, Radiology, Charité Universitätsmedizin; S. Xu, MS, Biostatistics, Janssen Research & Development LLC; B. Hsu, MD, PhD, Immunology, Janssen Research & Development LLC. Address correspondence to Prof. J. Braun, Rheumazentrum Ruhrgebiet, Claudiusstr. 45, 44649 Herne, Germany. E-mail: j.braun@rheumazentrum-ruhrgebiet.de. Full Release Article. For details see Reprints/Permissions at jrheum.org. Accepted for publication January 9, 2016.