Serum levels of BAFF for assessing the disease activity of Takayasu arteritis.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Takayasu arteritis (TA) is a chronic vasculitis that affects large elastic arteries. Monitoring of disease activity is crucial because the disease may progress despite treatment with glucocorticoids. Elevated levels of B cell activating factor belonging to TNF family (BAFF) have been observed in patients with autoimmune diseases. In this study, we investigated whether dysregulation of BAFF occurs in TA. METHODS: Serum levels of BAFF were measured in sera from 9 patients with TA including 6 patients with follow up after induction therapy. RESULTS: Circulating BAFF levels in TA patients were higher than in those in healthy subjects. The high levels of BAFF in active TA patients were decreased when the patients entered remission. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the first study to show elevated levels of BAFF in active TA patients. These findings suggest that this cytokine contributes to vasculitis in TA and raise the possibility that monitoring of serum BAFF might aid clinicians in making adequate treatment adjustments in TA patients.