High Blood Levels Of Syndecan-1 Protein May Help Identify Patients With ANCA-Associated Vasculitis With High Disease Activity, Those At Risk Of Poor Prognosis, Study Suggests

ANCA Vasculitis News (9/23, Inacio) reports, “High blood levels of the syndecan-1 protein, known to promote the survival of antibody-producing B cells, may help identify ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) patients with high disease activity — and those at risk of a poor prognosis — a new study suggests.” Investigators “defined two cut-off values of syndecan-1 that could make it possible to identify such AAV cases.” The data indicated that “patients with high blood levels of the protein had a significantly greater risk of having among the highest scores at diagnosis on a measure of disease activity.” The findings were published in Arthritis Research & Therapy.