Table 2. Comparison of complete remission rates according to the plasma levels of BAFF and APRIL.

			Univariate		Multivariate*
Marker	Group	Level (ng/mL)	HR (95% CI)	P	HR (95% CI)	P
BAFF	1st tertile (n = 29)	0.7 ± 0.12	1 (Reference)		1 (Reference)
	2nd tertile (n = 30)	0.9 ± 0.05	0.96 (0.514–1.785)	0.891	0.98 (0.465–2.066)	0.958
	3rd tertile (n = 30)	1.2 ± 0.25	1.02 (0.546–1.905)	0.952	0.80 (0.360–1.770)	0.580
APRIL	Undetectable (n = 53)	0	1 (Reference)		1 (Reference)
	Low (n = 18)	0.3 (0.07–0.47)	0.76 (0.399–1.447)	0.403	0.83 (0.347–1.958)	0.662
	High (n = 18)	1.6 (1.21–3.13)	0.40 (0.176–0.887)	0.024	0.23 (0.076–0.706)	0.010

^*Adjusted for age, sex, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, baseline creatinine, albumin, cholesterol, urine protein to creatinine ratio, estimated glomerular filtration rate, the use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers, steroids, cyclophosphamides or other immunosuppressive agents, pathologic stage, and tubulointerstitial fibrosis.

Abbreviations: BAFF, B-cell activating factor; APRIL, a proliferation-inducing ligand; HR, hazard ratio; CI, confidence interval.