Table 5 Cytokine and chemokine concentrations from 35 SSc BALF samples related to the clinical characteristics and progression of ILD

G-CSF

28.2 (1.4–191)

23.9 (1.4–45)

34.1 (20.2–191)^a

32.6 (20.2–50.6)^a

IL-1

0.9 (0–17.2)

0.5 (0–2.8)

1.3 (0.3–17.2)^b

1.3 (0.3–17.2)^a

IL-2

3.6 (0–24.9)

0.9 (0–7.6)

5.7 (0.9–24.9)^a

5.7 (2.8–24.9)^b

IL-4

0.4 (0–22.9)

0 (0–4.6)

3.5 (0–22.9)^b

5.2 (0–22.9)^a

IL-6

15.8 (1.7–104.6)

13.1 (6.2–30.7)

21.4 (1.7–104.6)^b

21.4 (1.7–104.6)^b

IL-7

4.43 (0–11.7)

3.5 (0–6.1)

4.88 (1.24–11.66)

4.88 (1.95–11.66)

IL-8

71.1 (5.9–794.5)

43.7 (5.9–209.3)

105.5 (22.4–794.5)^b

124.2 (53.8–94.5)^b

CCL2

47.1 (0–19,248)

44.6 (0–19,248)

92.2 (14.1–2,000.5)

139.4 (26.7–2,000)^a

CCL4

45.5 (4.2–119.9)

39.5 (4.2–111.3)

53.9 (24.6–119.9)

53.9 (35–107.1)

TNF-α

0.9 (0–8.1)

0.3 (0–3.6)

1.7 (0–8.1)^b

1.9 (0–8.1)^b

Immunosuppressive therapy at the time point of BAL (during follow-up)

CTX/MMF

8 (23)

1 (9)

8 (16)

7 (12)

AZA/others

8 (11)

6 (9)

2 (2)

1 (1)

Number

17 (3)

10 (3)

6 (0)

4 (0)

Patients

29

19

10

6

Age (y)

59 (37–72)

61 (37–72)

53 (38–63)^b

49 (41–59)^b

Disease duration (a)

3 (0.5–14)

3.5 (0.5–14)

3 (0.5–10)

3 (0.5–8)

S/Ex/NS (%)

3/7/19 (10/24/66)

1/3/15 (5/16/79)

2/4/4 (20/40/40)

1/4/1 (17/67/17)

Female

22 (76%)

15 (79%)

7 (70%)

4 (67%)

mRSS

13 (0–31)

14 (0–31)

10.5 (0–24)

11.5 (0–24)

HR-CT score

13.5 (0–27)

13.8 (0–27)

13 (0–27)

17 (0.7–27)

TLC (%)

81.2 (47.2–124)

81.2 (47.9–124)

79.4 (47.2–104)

65.4 (47.2–97.1)

FVC (%)

75.7 (29.3–108)

84.4 (29.3–108)

68.8 (43.3–92.7)^b

62.2 (43.3–72.6)^b

DLCO (%)

61.6 (20.4–108.3)

66.7 (32.9–108.3)

53.6 (20.4–68.4)^a

36.6 (20–68.4)^b

Neutrophils (%)

3 (0–49)

2 (0–9)

14.5 (3–49)^c

16.5 (4–38)^c

Macrophages

82 (39–98)

87.5 (39–98)

73 (41–93)^a

74 (49–91)

Death

4 (14%)

1 (6%)

3 (30%)

3 (50%)