Fig. 1

Marker levels in AAV patients before and 6 months after the initiation of treatment. a Comparison of marker levels between highly active AAV before treatment and remission 6 months after treatment. The titers of markers were measured in paired serum samples (before and 6 months after the initiation of treatment) from 52 patients with AAV [36 microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) and 16 granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA)]. Each line connects data obtained on one patient. MPO-ANCA refers to only MPO-ANCA-positive patients (n = 45). PR3-ANCA refers to only PR3-ANCA-positive patients (n = 8). b Comparison of marker levels between patients in remission (n = 52) and those not in remission (n = 17) 6 months after the initiation of treatment. The 17 patients not in remission (10 MPA and 7 GPA) had mildly active AAV (median BVAS 5, range 3–6). MPO-ANCA only refers to MPO-ANCA-positive patients (remission, n = 45; not in remission, n = 14). PR3-ANCA only refers to PR3-ANCA-positive patients (remission, n = 8; not in remission, n = 4). Each dot represents one patient. Box plots show the median and IQR. Whiskers indicate the most extreme points within 1.5-fold of the IQR of the box. *p < 0.05. **p < 0.01. ***p < 0.001. AAV, antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis; TIMP-1, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1; CRP, C-reactive protein; MPO-ANCA, myeloperoxidase-antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody; PR3-ANCA, proteinase-3-antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody