RA AS HC P value * P value #   N = 59 N = 61 N = 60     CD3+ T cells /mm3 1171.5 ± 84.9 1424 ± 66 1572.8 ± 68 0.0007 RA vs HC: < 0.0001 CD19+ B cells / mm3 171.5 ± 21.6 271.6 ± 20.9 251.6 ± 15.6 < 0.0001 RA vs HC: < 0.0001 CD19+ B cells (%) 10.9 ± 0.9 14.6 ± 0.7 12.2 ± 0.6  0.0005 RA vs HC: NS CD27- IgD+ CD38- naïve B cells (%) 52.7 ± 1.7 56.1 ± 1.6 59.3 ± 1.2 0.019 RA vs HC: 0.0025 CD27- IgD- CD38+ transitional B cells (%) 1.9 ± 0.3 2.7 ± 0.3 2.9 ± 0.3 0.0001 RA vs HC: < 0.0001 CD27+ IgD+ CD38- memory B cells (%) 10.1 ± 0.7 9.5 ± 0.6 9.8 ± 0.6 NS   CD27+ IgD+ CD38+ Pre GC B cells (%) 1.3 ± 0.2 1.3 ± 0.2 1.1 ± 0.1 NS   CD27+ IgD- CD38- Post GC B cells (%) 13.3 ± 1.1 11.6 ± 0.8 11.2 ± 0.6 NS   CD27++ IgD- CD38++ Plasmablasts (%) 2.6 ± 0.5 1.8 ± 0.3 1.5 ± 0.2 NS   *Kruskal-Wallis test [level of significance was <0.05] #Post hoc Dunn test [level of significance was <0.016]

Table 2: Distribution of B lymphocyte subsets in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and healthy controls (HC).