Expression of Survivin in Patients With Refractory Rheumatoid Arthritis in a Chinese Population

Results: The survivin level was significantly higher in the refractory group than healthy controls (270.04±23.03 pg/ml vs. 116.68±19.07 pg/ml, p<0.05) and treatment-responsive group (270.04±23.03 pg/ml vs. 127.37±11.42 pg/ml, p<0.05). The survivin level in refractory RA patients was positively correlated with the Disease Activity Score 28. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that survivin expression was significantly higher in the synovial tissues of refractory RA patients compared to treatment-responsive patients and healthy controls. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that survivin is overexpressed in refractory RA patients and the serum survivin level is correlated with disease activity.