Figure 2.

Synovial fluid neutrophil and lymphocyte apoptosis in patients with very early inflammatory arthritis. (a) Synovial fluid neutrophil apoptosis at clinical presentation in patients with very early inflammatory arthritis divided according to outcome. (b) Synovial fluid lymphocyte apoptosis at clinical presentation in patients with very early inflammatory arthritis divided according to outcome. (c) Maximum synovial fluid neutrophil apoptosis observed in each patient with very early inflammatory arthritis; patients divided according to outcome. (d) Maximum synovial fluid lymphocyte apoptosis in each patient with very early inflammatory arthritis; patients divided according to outcome. (e) Synovial fluid neutrophil apoptosis over time in all samples obtained from patients with very early inflammatory arthritis that eventually persisted divided according to outcome (open circles = non-RA persistent synovitis; closed circles = RA). (f) Synovial fluid lymphocyte apoptosis over time in all samples obtained from patients with very early inflammatory arthritis that eventually persisted divided according to outcome (open circles = non-RA persistent synovitis; closed circles = RA). Comparisons were made using the Mann-Whitney test. RA, rheumatoid arthritis.