High-sensitivity flow cytometry in rheumatoid arthritis shows that early B-cell subset depletion is linked to 5-year rituximab response, while failure to deplete B cells occurs early in subsequent poly-refractory disease.
OBJECTIVES To assess complete depletion of B-cell subsets using high-sensitivity flow cytometry (HSFC) across the therapeutic spectrum of rheumatoid arthritis (RA): from good initial rituximab (RTX) responders to poly-refractory RA (failed all biologic or targeted synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug classes)...