In particular, RA in stable clinical and US remission with BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 showed significantly higher IHC score for sublining CD68+ (1.2 ± 0.3) (Fig. 4I), lining CD20+ cells (0.6 ± 0.4) (Fig. 4J), lining CD3+ (0.6 ± 0.5) and sublining CD3+ (1.1 ± 0.4) cells (Fig. 4K) compared to RA with BMI < 25 kg/m2 (0.2 ± 0.4 for sublining CD68+ cells; p < 0.001; 0.2 ± 0.4 for lining CD20+ cells; p = 0.02; 0.1 ± 0.3 for lining CD3+ cells, p = 0.02; and 0.9 ± 0.3 for sublining CD3+ cells; p = 0.04 respectively). Here, CD68 is linked to rheumatoid arthritis.