When we divided patients into two groups depending on the presence of active synovitis (GSUS ≥ 2 or PDUS ≥ 1), the levels of PlGF and IL-6, but not VEGF or sFlt-1, were significantly higher in patients with active synovitis than in those with inactive synovitis (Fig. 2c). This evidence concerns the gene IL6 and synovitis.