In contrast, we observed a reduction in the frequency of CD3 + CD8 + CD28 + T cells from RA patients compared with CS (P = .029, Table 2); interestingly, once total RA patients group was divided in early, chronic, and untreated, we observed that the most significant decrease in the frequency of these cells was between the group of chronic patients compared to the CS (CD3 + CD8 + CD28 + T cells %: chronic RA = 42.7 vs CS = 64.9, P < .05; Figure 1A). Here, CD28 is linked to rheumatoid arthritis.