Table 2.

Serum levels of VEGF, total and active metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), and TIMP-1 in patients with SLE and control group (mean values of VEGF in pg/mL, metalloproteinase-9, and TIMP-1 in ng/mL).

Factor	All SLE	Active SLE	Inactive SLE	Control group	Statistically significant comparison
	n = 41	n = 19	n = 22	n = 20
	(a)	(b)	(c)	(d)
VEGF $\overline{x}$ ± s	285 ± 233	253 ± 234	312 ± 404	208 ± 163	—
MMP-9 total $\overline{x}$ ± s	262 ± 242	183 ± 164	333 ± 280	325 ± 168	(a)–(b)	P = .023
					(b)–(c)–(d)	P = .014
(b)–(c)					P = .048
(b)–(d)					P < .001
MMP-9 active $\overline{x}$ ± s	121 ± 123	90 ± 71	147 ± 151	169 ± 104	(a)–(d)	P = .035
					(b)–(c)–(d)	P = .033
					(b)–(d)	P = .016
TIMP-1 x ± s	181 ± 67	193 ± 72	170 ± 61	233 ± 64	(a)–(d)	P = .004
					(b)–(c)–(d)	P = .038
					(c)–(d)	P = .002