Safety of Tocilizumab on Rheumatoid Arthritis in Patients with Interstitial Lung Disease

Figures & data

Table 1 Baseline Characteristics

Variable	Data
Age (median, range)	70, 21–83 years
Sex (n, male/female)	55, 22 / 33
Duration of RA (median, range)	1.4, 0.1–33.4 years
ACPA (positive/negative)	33 / 22
ACPA level (median, if positive)	241 U/mL
Type of ILD (UIP/NSIP)	14 / 41
Medication
Methotrexate (n)	21
Salazosulfapyridine (n)	41
Corticosteroids (n)	16

Abbreviations: ACPA, anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody; ILD, interstitial lung disease; NSIP, nonspecific interstitial pneumonia; RA, rheumatoid arthritis; UIP, usual interstitial pneumonia.

Figure 1 Changes over time in MMP-3 (A) and KL-6 (B) levels. *P<0.05, ***P<0.001 by the Wilcoxon signed-rank test for comparison of paired samples.

Figure 2 Results of linear regression analysis of the relationship between percent changes in MMP-3 and KL-6 at 6 months (A) and 1 year (B) after the start of treatment. The coefficients of determination (R²) are shown.

Figure 3 Relationship between percent change in KL-6 and RA activity group at 6 months (A) and 1 year (B) after the start of treatment. The PD group with RA progression also showed an increase in KL-6 at 6 months after RA treatment. *P<0.05 by the Tukey-Kramer HSD test.

Figure 4 Relationship between MMP-3 and ILD activity evaluated by chest CT at 1 year after RA treatment. The group with ILD progression on chest CT also showed increased MMP-3. *P<0.05, **P<0.01 by the Tukey-Kramer HSD test.

Table 2 % Change in MMP-3 and KL-6 According to Type of ILD

	6 months			12 months
	UIP	NSIP		UIP	NSIP
MMP-3	−35.6 ± 34.9%	−41.6 ± 43.3%	N.S.	21.2 ± 157.0%	−36.6 ± 62.2%	N.S.
KL-6	−16.5 ± 17.9%	3.3 ± 44.4%	P<0.05	−8.1 ± 27.1%	−2.7 ± 31.3%	N.S.

Abbreviations: ILD, interstitial lung disease; KL-6, Krebs von den Lungen-6; MMP-3, matrix metalloproteinase-3; N.S., not significant; NSIP, nonspecific interstitial pneumonia; UIP, usual interstitial pneumonia.

Table 3 Mortality (%) in RA Patients with ILD

	6 months	12 months	18 months	24 months	30 months	36 months
Mortality (%)	0	2.0	10.4	16.7	25.6	32.4