Fig. 2From: Active but not inactive granulomatosis with polyangiitis is associated with decreased and phenotypically and functionally altered CD56dim natural killer cellsNatural killer (NK) cells inversely correlate with granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) activity. Patients from cohort I and II were included; cohort I has been published in a parent study [15]; cohort II is described in TableĀ 1. a Absolute NK cell numbers are decreased in active GPA. Cohort I, nā=ā12; cohort II, nā=ā22; totalā=ā34; control disease (CD), nā=ā12 patients with inactive systemic inflammatory control diseases (see [15] and TableĀ 1). Dotted lines show upper and lower limits of normal NK cell numbers according to our clinical diagnostic laboratory; medians are indicatedĀ by bars. Left subgrouping according to activity states showed significant differences among the groups (Kruskal-Wallis test, pā=ā0.0029); middle physician global assessment (Kruskal-Wallis test, pā=ā0.0486); right therapeutic consequence (Kruskal-Wallis test, pā=ā0.0397). b NK cell percentages are increased in patients with GPA in long-term remission. Cohort I, nā=ā35; cohort II, nā=ā22; totalā=ā57; CD, nā=ā12. Dotted lines correspond to the upper and lower limits of normal NK cell percentages, according to our clinical diagnostic laboratory; medians are indicatedĀ by bars. Left subgrouping according to activity states showed significant differences among the groups (Kruskal-Wallis test, pā=ā0.0001); middle physician global assessment (Kruskal-Wallis test, pā=ā0.0007); right therapeutic consequence (Kruskal-Wallis test, pā=ā0.0108). a, b The threshold for long-term remission (4.08Ā years) had been determined in the parent study [15]. Dunn's post hoc test was significant where indicated in the graphs. c NK cells increase during successful induction therapy. NK cell percentages from six patients with GPA were determined at two or more time points during induction therapy (cohort I, four patients; cohort II, two patients). The first and last measurements are depicted, respectively. Statistical analysis was performed using the Wilcoxon signed rank test, pā=ā0.0585Back to article page