POS0593 THE REDUCTION OF RETINAL MICROVASCULAR ALTERATIONS AND THE DECREASE OF A POTENTIALLY RELATED T-CELL SUBSET IN PATIENTS WITH ACTIVE RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS TREATED WITH ABATACEPT

Background: T-cells play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and its cardiovascular (CV) comorbidities, acting at microvascular level [1]. Since small artery remodeling is earliest form target organ damage hypertension, evaluation alterations might provide clinically useful information. The retinal arterioles non-invasive technique to identify precocious damage, which related an increase wall-to-lumen ratio (WLR) [2]. CD3+CD31+CXCR4+ may be involved damaged endothelium repair are increased patients with morphological [3]. In addition effect on disease activity, abatacept (ABA), co-stimulator blocker approved for treatment RA, have specific CV protective action, modulating numbers certain subtypes lymphocytes [4]. Objectives: To non-invasively investigate characteristics evaluate CD3+CD31+CXCR4+T-cells cohort RA treated ABA. Methods: Eleven [median (25th-75thpercentile) age=58 (50-65) years, baseline C-reactive protein (CRP)-DAS28=4.4 (3.8-4.6), body mass index (BMI)=23.4 (21.6-25.6) kg/m 2 , factor (RF) positive:45%, anti-citrullinated peptide autoantibodies (ACPA) positive:73%] without known risk factors (arterial diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, previous events, smoking) were evaluated by adaptive optics, validated quantifying [5], before every 6 months therapy ABA (T0, T6 T12). Phenotypic analysis peripheral blood T was made flow-cytometry 5 T0 T6. Results: A progressive significant reduction WLR observed [T0=0.28 (0.25-0.30), T6=0.27 (0.24-0.31), T12=0.23 (0.23-0.26); p vs T6=0.4; T12=0.01; T12=0.01] (Figure 1), variations other parameters [internal diameter: T0=94.4 (84.1-104.0), T6=94.8 (84.6-107.7), T12=99.2 (89.1-109.1) µm; external T0=125.8 (111.1-131.0), T6=122.4 (109.1-134.5), T12=125.6 (113.9-134.4) wall thickness: T0=13.2 (12.2-14.4), T6=13.4 (11.7-14.4), T12=12.5 (11.6-13.0) cross-sectional area: T0=4581.0 (3788.7-5263.7), T6=4563.3 (3788.5-5295.2), T12=4099.7 (3899.0-5145.7) µm )]. also T-cell immunophenotyping negative correlation between number thickness (R=0.871;p=0.05). After trend [19.0 (13.8-38.3) 12.4 (5.2-18.0) % CD3+], as well area [5123.3 (4385.0-5470.3) 4852.3 (4118.3-5228.0) ;p=0.04]. Conclusion: factors, demonstrated after 12 CD3+CD31+CXCR4+T-cell inversely possible presence subclinical involvement. These results suggest possibility abnormalities regression induced immune system modulation. References: [1]Dessein PH, J Rheumatol 2005. [2]Rizzoni D, Am Hypertens. 2018. [3]Hur J, Circulation 2007. [4]Kallikourdis M, Nat Commun 2017. [5]De Ciuceis C, Hypertens Acknowledgements: Bristol-Myers-Squibb Italy provided unrestricted research grant study conduct. Figure 1. Disclosure Interests: None declared