A3.3 An Immunological Window of Opportunity Defines the Ability of Early RA Patient to Achieve Remission with First Anti-Rheumatic Treatment

Background and Objectives The therapeutic goal for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is clinical remission. This is best achieved by early diagnosis followed by appropriate therapeutic intervention. RA is associated with dys-regulation of T-cell subsets early in the disease with naïve cells and regulatory T-cell losses and acquisition of abnormal subset in realtion with inflammation (IRC). Our aim was to test the hypothesis that T-cell subset quantification can predict the achievement of clinical remission in patients with early RA. Materials and Methods T-cell subsets (naive, Treg and IRC) were quantified using flow cytometry in 108 DMARDs-naïve, early RA patients (