Importantly, the absolute numbers of circulating CD4+ T cells were not different among the three studied groups (mean ± standard error of the mean (SEM), 1,141.0 ± 142.8 × 103 CD4+ T cells/ml in RA-a versus 950.6 ± 132.3 in RA-r, versus 1,024.2 ± 163.8 in HC, P >0.1). The gene discussed is CD4; the disease is rheumatoid arthritis.