Figure 4.

TNF-α production induced by SF precipitates correlate with the number of swollen and tender joints. PBMCs were stimulated with SF precipitates from 32 RA patients for 20 hours. TNF-α levels in the supernatants were measured using ELISA and data regarding the number of swollen and tender joints were collected from the patients' charts. The numbers of (a) swollen and (b) tender joints correlated with TNF-α production. Statistical analyses were performed with nonparametric tests to diminish the effect of outliers. ELISA, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; PBMC, peripheral blood mononuclear cell; RA, rheumatoid arthritis; SF, synovial fluid; TNF, tumour necrosis factor.