Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40344345›Full record

ArticleACR open rheumatology2025

Soluble Co-Inhibitory Immune Checkpoint Molecules Are Increased in Patients With Polymyalgia Rheumatica Without Significant Correlations With Clinical Status: A Case-Control Study.

Elvis Hysa, Dario Camellino, Christian Dejaco, Matteo Bauckneht, Giampaola Pesce, Silvia Morbelli, Marcello Bagnasco, Maurizio Cutolo, Eric L Matteson, Marco A Cimmino and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in ACR open rheumatology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Observational
  2. Review
  3. Review
  4. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Elvis HysaLaboratory of Experimental Rheumatology and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine and Department of Experimental Medicine (DIMES), University of Genova, Genova, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6970-0983
Dario CamellinoDIMES, University of Genova, Division of Rheumatology, "La Colletta" Hospital, Local Health Trust 3, Genova, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6384-6458
Christian DejacoDepartment of Rheumatology and Immunology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria, and Department of Rheumatology, Hospital of Brunico (SABES-ASDAA), Department of Rheumatology, Teaching Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical University, Brunico, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0173-0668
Matteo BaucknehtNuclear Medicine Unit, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Department of Health Sciences, University of Genova, Genova, Italy.
Giampaola PesceDepartment of Internal Medicine, Immunology Unit, University of Genova, Diagnostic Laboratory of Autoimmunology, IRCSS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Italy.
Silvia MorbelliNuclear Medicine Unit, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
Marcello BagnascoDepartment of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Genova, Genova, Italy.
Maurizio CutoloLaboratory of Experimental Rheumatology and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genova, IRCSS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5396-0932
Eric L MattesonMayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, Minnesota.
Marco A CimminoLaboratory of Experimental Rheumatology and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genova, Genova, Italy.
Daniele SaverinoDIMES, University of Genova, Diagnostic Laboratory of Autoimmunology, IRCSS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveA dysregulated immune response is involved in the pathogenesis of polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) and giant cell arteritis (GCA). These diseases have been reported as immune-related adverse events in patients with cancer treated with immune checkpoints inhibitors. In this cross-sectional study, the relationship between soluble immune checkpoint molecules (sICMs) and clinical/imaging features of PMR and GCA was investigated.

methodsConsecutive patients with PMR diagnosed according to the criteria by Bird et al were compared with age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Patients with PMR and overlapping GCA had to also satisfy the 1990 ACR classification criteria for GCA. All patients underwent standardized clinical, laboratory examination, and

resultsForty patients (80% women, mean age 76 years, and mean disease duration 88 days) were assessed. Of these, 30 had isolated PMR and 10 had PMR with GCA. Patients showed significantly higher concentrations of all sICMs compared with controls (P < 0.001). Conditional logistic regression revealed the strong discriminative capacity of these molecules between patients and healthy controls, with PD-1 showing complete separation among groups (effect size = 0.78) and PD-L1 (odds ratio [OR] 134.33, P < 0.001) and PD-L2 (OR 63.00, P < 0.001) demonstrating the strongest ability to distinguish patients from controls. Correlations between sICM levels and clinical features were generally weak or absent, with no significant differences based on disease phenotype or glucocorticoid exposure. Results were similar in glucocorticoid-naive patients.

conclusionsICMs are significantly elevated in PMR and GCA and strongly differentiate patients from healthy controls. Although they do not correlate with clinical or imaging features, their consistent elevation in active disease might suggest a complex interplay between innate and adaptive immunity.

Identifiers

PMID40344345
PMCPMC12063068

What Socratic holds

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.