Efficacy of BAFF in Monitoring Treatment Response in Early Vietnamese Systemic Sclerosis Patients

BACKGROUND: B-cell activating factor (BAFF) is considered to have a role in the pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis (SSc). AIM: We conducted a longitudinal study on early SSc patients to determine the change in BAFF serum level after treatment and its association with organ involvements. METHODS: A total of 46 patients (32 diffuse, 14 limited) were recruited, among which 35 patients (24 diffuse, 11 limited) completed 12-month follow-up. RESULTS: Higher pretreatment BAFF levels were observed in patients with positive anti-topoisomerase antibody (ATA) (2252.1 ± 899.7 pg/ml versus 1475.5 ± 697.6 pg/ml in ATA-negative patients; p = 0.01) and muscular involvement (2741.9 ± 1039.9 pg/ml versus 1897.2 ± 762.9 pg/ml in patients without muscular involvement; p = 0.005). Lower levels were observed in patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) (1926.7 ± 757.9 pg/ml versus 2721.6 ± 1131.4 pg/ml in non-ILD patients; p = 0.01). After treatment, BAFF level reduced significantly in diffuse SSc patients (1652.2 ± 892.7 pg/ml versus 2147.6 ± 945.5 pg/ml before treatment; p = 0.03). CONCLUSION: Patients with worsening outcome had the highest pretreatment BAFF level and was associated with increased BAFF level after treatment. BAFF can be used to predict and monitor patients’ response to therapy.