Elevated serum IgG4 defines specific clinical phenotype of rheumatoid arthritis

To explore the correlation of serum IgG4 (sIgG4) with clinical manifestations or therapeutic response in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Consecutive 136 RA patients were recruited and followed up at regular interval. SIgG4 was detected by immunonephelometry. Serial synovial tissue sections from 46 RA patients were stained immunohistochemically for IgG4.

Forty-six percent of 136 RA patients had elevated sIgG4. Patients with elevated sIgG4 had higher sIgG4/sIgG ratio, C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, rheumatoid factor, and anticyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies than those with normal sIgG4 (all P < 0.05). Among 45 patients who received methotrexate and leflunomide therapy, 50% (9/18) of patients with elevated sIgG4 and 85% (23/27) of patients with normal sIgG4 reached therapeutic target (disease activity score of 28 joints < 3.2) at 6-month visit (χ(2) = 6.508, P = 0.011). IgG4-positive plasma cell count correlated positively with sIgG4, total synovitis score, and CD3-, CD20-, and CD38-positive cell counts (all P < 0.05).

Our results showed that elevated sIgG4 in RA is common and disproportional to total IgG and RA with elevated sIgG4 may be a specific clinical phenotype with higher disease activity, higher level of autoantibodies, and poor response to methotrexate and leflunomide therapy.