OP0237 Polymorphisms of Gene Implicated in Type 1 Interferon Pathway Are Associated with The Clinical Response of Rituximab at 24 Weeks in Rheumatoid Arthritis

BackgroundRheumatoid arthritis (RA) treatment may target B-cells using rituximab (RTX), a chimeric monoclonal antibody directed against the B-cell marker CD20. Transcriptome of PBMCs from RA patients before RTX has suggested that responders differs from non-responders on the expression of genes regulated by type 1 interferon (IFN) (1) suggesting a possible contribution of type 1 IFN pathway genes such as interferon regulatory factor 5 (IRF5), tyrosine kinase 2 (TYK2), signal transducer and activator of transcription 4 (STAT4), osteopontin (SPP1) and interferon regulatory factor 7 (IRF7).ObjectivesTo study 8 IRF5, TYK2, STAT4, SPP1 and IRF7 variants as candidate predictors of the clinical response to RTX in RA at 6 months defined by a good or moderate EULAR response.MethodsPatients from the SMART study who signed consent for genetic studies were included (2). The association between the EULAR response at 24 weeks and the polymorphism of the 8 chosen SNPs was analyzed by logistic regression. Response rates were compared across risk genotypes using the χ2 test or the Fisher exact test, when appropriate. Significant variables after univariate regression (P