Table 1 Characteristics of the TA patients and HCs

 Sex (F:M)

20:0

39:3

n.s.

 Class of arterial involvement:

N.E.

  1

  2A

  2B

  3

  4

  5

-

-

-

-

-

-

4 (10 %)

4 (10 %)

3 (7 %)

1 (2 %)

0

30 (71 %)

-

-

-

-

-

-

 Coronary involvement

N.E.

6 (14 %)

-

 Pulmonary artery involvement

N.E.

13 (31 %)

-

 Aneurysms

0

16 (38 %)

-

 Steroids

0

30 (71 %)

-

 Immunosuppressive therapy:

  Azathioprine

  Methotrexate

  Mycophenolate

  Sirolimus

  Cyclophosphamide

0

-

-

-

-

-

30 (71 %)

12 (29 %)

11 (26 %)

4 (10 %)

2 (5 %)

1 (2 %)

-

-

-

-

-

-

 Biologic therapy:

  TNF blockers

  Tocilizumab

  Rituximab

0

-

-

-

19 (45 %)

16 (38 %)

2 (5 %)

1 (2 %)

-

-

-

-

 Active disease (NIH criteria)

N.E.

12 (29 %)

-

 Anticoagulants

0

7 (17 %)

-

 Arterial hypertension

0

22 (52 %)

-

 Cardiac involvement

N.E.

12 (29 %)

-

 Vascular enhancement (N = 30)

N.E.

5 (16 %)

-

 Vascular progression (N = 40)

N.E.

9 (22 %)

-

 Age at disease onset (years)

N.E.

30 (17–56)

-

 Disease duration (years)

N.E.

10 (0-34)

-

 Creatinine (mg/dl)

N.A.

0.70 (0.44–1.60)

-

 PDN dose (mg/day; N = 30)

0

5 (3–35)

-

 N vessels

N.E.

4 (1–7)

-

 ESR (mm/h)

N.A.

15 (1–78)

-

 Serum CRP (mg/l)

0.6 (0.3–9.0)

2.6 (0.03–40)

0.017

 Plasma PTX3 (ng/ml)

3.9 (1.4–6.5)

5.5 (1.3–55)

0.009

 CgA_tot (nM)

0.98 (0.47–1.72)

2.36 (0.45–7.85)

0.001

 CgA₄₃₉ (nM)

0.04 (0–0.07)

0.05 (0-0–.78)

n.s.

 CgA-FRs (nM)

0.64 (0.22–1.17)

1.63 (0.22–6.68)

0.001

 VS-1 (nM)

0.10 (0.07–0.50)

0.20 (0.02–1.15)

0.020

 CgA₄₃₉/CgA_tot

5 % (0–17 %)

1 % (0–24 %)

n.s.

 CgA-FRs/CgA_tot

67 % (46–88 %)

66 % (47–94 %)

n.s.

 VS-1/CgA_tot

13 % (7–29 %)

11 % (1–27 %)

n.s.