Fig. 5.

Serum sCD40L analyses. Soluble CD40L was higher in AAV as compared to controls (a) and to SSc (c). It did not differ between SSc and controls (b). PR3+ and MPO+ individuals showed elevated sCD40L in comparison to controls (d and e). If compared to the controls, AAV subjects with either early systemic (f) or generalized (g) or refractory (h) disease displayed higher serum sCD40L (Kolmogorov-Smirnov test for normality: sCD40L Control—p = 0.004; sCD40L AAV—p = 0.032; sCD40L SSc—p = 0.134; sCD40L PR3—p = 0.057; sCD40L MPO—p = 0.915; sCD40L early systemic—p = 0.089; sCD40L generalized—p = 0.949; sCD40L refractory—p = 0.167; Data as media ± Q1/Q3; ✻p < 0.05—for exact p values see text)