CXCR3 and rheumatoid arthritis: However, analysis of peripheral blood from RA patients before the initiation of treatment showed that proportions of intermediate MNs were not significantly higher than in healthy patients.133 Although there was a significant positive correlation between the frequency of intermediate MNs and Th17 CXCR3+ cells in RA patients, neither intermediate MNs nor Th17 CXCR3+ cells were associated with bone density or bone microarchitecture parameters in RA patients.133