Table 1

Patient characteristics

Diagnosis no.SexAge, yDisease duration, yAutoantibody/clinical statusImmunosuppressive therapy
RA01 M 54 11 RF = 600 IU/mL; anti-CCP = 68.5 U/mL MTX, ADA, Pred 5 mg/day 
RA02 F 44 4 RF = 352 IU/mL; anti-CCP>100 U/mL MTX 
RA03 F 54 14 RF = 146 IU/mL MTX, LEF 
RA04 F 85 18 RF = negative MTX, IFX 
RA05 M 69 19 RF = 208 IU/mL; anti-CCP>100 U/mL MTX, Pred 5 mg/day 
RA06 F 71 8 RF = negative MTX 
RA07 F 67 13 RF = 333 IU/mL ETN 
RA08 F 58 25 RF = 53 IU/mL MTX, ETN, Pred 3 mg/day 
RA09 F 68 7 RF = 339 IU/mL MTX, Pred 3 mg/day 
RA10 M 75 13 RF = 420 IU/mL; anti-CCP = 18.9 U/mL MTX, LEF, Pred 10 mg/day 
RA11 F 73 7 RF and anti-CCP = negative MTX, LEF 
RA12 M 61 27 RF = 107 IU/mL MTX, LEF 
RA13 F 66 6 RF = positive ADA 
RA14 F 84 11 RF = 275 IU/mL; anti-CCP = 28 U/mL ETN 
RA15 F 52 3 RF = negative; anti-CCP>100 U/mL ETN 
RA16 F 76 18 RF = positive MTX 
RA17 M 63 11 RF = negative; anti-CCP>100 U/mL MTX, SSZ, Pred 1 mg/day 
RA18 F 43 15 RF = 23 IU/mL MTX, IFX 
RA19 F 62 30 RF = 148 IU/mL; anti-CCP>100 U/mL LEF; Pred 5 mg/day 
SLE01 F 65 11 ANA = 1:2560; IgG CL and anti-dsDNA = positive HCQ, LEF, Pred 5 mg/day 
SLE02 M 31 3 ANA = 1:640; anti-RNP, anti-Sm, and anti-Ro = positive HCQ, Pred 3 mg/day 
SLE03 M 63 32 ANA = 1:640; anti-dsDNA and IgG anti-CL = positive HCQ, Pred 5 mg/day 
SLE04 F 37 5 ANA = 1:2560; anti-Ro = positive None 
SLE05 F 43 15 ANA = 1:160; RF = 36 IU/mL HCQ, MMF 
SLE06 F 46 8 ANA = positive; anti-Ro = positive MMF 2 g/day, Pred 10 mg/day 
SLE07 M 31 23 ANA = 1:160; anti-dsDNA and IgG anti-CL = positive HCQ 
SLE08 F 47 10 ANA = 1:2560; anti-dsDNA, anti-Ro and anti-La = positive; RF = 103 IU/mL None 
SLE09 F 37 16 ANA = positive; anti-dsDNA, anti-IgM and IgG CL = positive HCQ; Pred 10 mg/day 
SLE10 F 48 7 ANA = 1:2560; anti-dsDNA, anti-Ro and anti-La = positive Pred 5 mg/day 
SLE11 F 37 25 ANA = 1:640 HCQ 
SLE12 F 49 6 ANA = 1:640; anti-dsDNA and anti-Ro = positive HCQ 
SLE13 F 48 20 ANA = 1:640; anti-dsDNA and anti-Ro = positive Pred 5 mg/day 
SLE14 F 58 13 ANA = positive; anti-dsDNA, anti-Ro and anti-La = positive MMF, HCQ, Pred 10 mg/day 
SjS01 F 52 1 ANA = 1:2560; RF = 354 IU/mL; anti-Ro and anti-La = positive None 
SjS02 F 65 15 ANA = 1:2560; RF = 22 IU/mL; anti-Ro = positive HCQ 
SjS03 F 57 37 ANA = 1:160; anti-Ro = positive MMF, Pred 40 mg/day 
SjS04 F 67 22 ANA = 1:2560; RF 110 IU/mL, anti-Ro and anti-La = positive HCQ 
SjS05 F 60 9 ANA = 1:2560; RF = 126 IU/mL, anti-Ro = positive HCQ 
SjS06 F 58 21 ANA = 1:2560; anti-Ro and anti-La = positive None 
SjS07 F 41 13 ANA = 1:2560; anti-Ro and anti-La = positive HCQ 
SjS08 F 59 8 ANA = 1:2560; RF = 508 IU/mL; anti-Ro = positive None 
SjS09 F 42 4 ANA = 1:2560; RF = 110 IU/mL; anti-Ro and anti-La = positive HCQ 
SjS10 F 58 5 ANA = 1:2560; anti-Ro and anti-La = positive HCQ, Pred 3 mg/day 
SjS11 M 66 5 ANA = 1:2560; anti-Ro and anti-La = positive None 
SjS12 F 76 13 ANA = 1:2560; anti-Ro = positive; RF = 32 IU/mL None 
SjS13 M 51 1 ANA = 1:160 HCQ 
SjS14 F 68 28 ANA = 1:2560; anti-Ro = positive HCQ 
SjS15 F 66 12 ANA = 1:2560 None 
SjS16 F 64 8 ANA = 1:2560; anti-Ro = positive None 
SjS17 F 78 13 ANA = positive; anti-Ro = positive HCQ 
BP01 M 72 0.3 Anti-BP180 = 84 U/mL; anti-BP230 = 115 U/mL, no clinical disease Pred 60 mg/day 
BP02 M 54 1.2 Anti-BP180 = 72 U/mL; anti-BP230 = negative, no clinical disease MMF, Pred 12 mg/day 
BP03 F 56 2 Anti-BP180 = 51 U/mL; anti-BP230 = negative, no clinical disease Pred 20 mg/day 
BP04 M 75 4.3 Anti-BP180 = 45 U/mL; anti-BP230 = 3, mild disease None 
BP05 F 66 1.8 Anti-BP180 = 96 U/mL; anti-BP230 = 131, severe disease None 
BP06 M 77 0.5 Anti-BP180 = 5 U/mL; anti-BP230 = 95, mild disease None 
BP07 F 67 17 Anti-BP180 = 46 U/mL; anti-BP230 = negative, mild disease RTX (20 months earlier) 
BP08 F 54 2 Anti-BP180 = 22 U/mL; anti-BP230 = 7, no clinical disease RTX (13 months earlier), Pred 15 mg/day 
BP09 F 62 5.4 Anti-BP180 = 30 U/mL; anti-BP230 = 3, mild disease RTX (52 months earlier) 
BP10 M 73 0.25 Anti-BP180 = 222 U/mL; anti-BP230 = 7, no clinical disease Pred 50 mg/day 
PF01 M 54 8.6 Anti-DSG1 = 134 U/mL; anti-DSG3 = negative, mild disease activity AZA 
PF02 M 55 9.8 Anti-DSG1 = negative; anti-DSG3 = negative, mild disease activity RTX (30 months earlier) 
PF03 M 46 6.6 Anti-DSG1 = 416; anti-DSG3 = negative, moderate disease activity None 
PF04 M 50 5.3 Anti-DSG1 = 1906; anti-DSG3 = negative, moderate disease activity MMF 
PF05 M 72 2.8 Anti-DSG1 = 118; anti-DSG3 = negative, no clinical disease Dapsone 100 mg/day 
PF06 F 47 0.4 Anti-DSG1 = 211; anti-DSG3 = negative, moderate clinical disease activity Pred 40 mg/day 
PV02 M 43 3 Anti-DSG1 = negative; anti-DSG3 = 213 U/mL, moderate oral disease activity MMF, Pred 20 mg/day 
PV03 M 73 3.3 Anti-DSG1 = negative; anti-DSG3 = 948 U/mL, mild oral disease Pred 12 mg/day 
PV04 F 55 4.7 Anti-DSG1 = negative; anti-DSG3 = 406 U/mL, moderate oral disease activity RTX (15 months earlier) 
PV05 M 59 8.3 Anti-DSG1 = negative; anti-DSG3 = 50 U/mL, no disease activity AZA 
PV06 F 48 8.6 Anti-DSG1 = negative; anti-DSG3 = 25 U/mL, no disease activity None 
PV07 M 45 0.25 Anti-DSG1 = 968; anti-DSG3 = 735, severe disease involving 20% of the skin MMF; Pred 80 mg/day 
PV08 M 84 0.2 Anti-DSG1 = 75; anti-DSG3 = 146 U/mL, moderate disease activity None 
PV09 M 64 9.8 Anti-DSG1 = 14; anti-DSG3 = 115 U/mL, mild disease activity Pred 20 mg/day; IFX 
PV10 M 59 3.8 Anti-DSG1 = 1; anti-DSG3 = 49 U/mL, no disease activity AZA 
PV11 M 55 6 Anti-DSG1 = 34; anti-DSG3 = 35 U/mL, mild oral disease activity Pred 20 mg/day; MMF 
PV12 F 58 9.5 Anti-DSG1 = 1; anti-DSG3 = 43 U/mL, mild oral disease activity AZA 
PV13 M 75 5 Anti-DSG1 = 1; anti-DSG3 = 42 U/mL, mild disease RTX (6 months earlier), Pred 1 mg/day 
PV14 M 70 8.4 Anti-DSG1 = 110; anti-DSG3 = 113 U/mL, no clinical disease AZA 
PV15 F 37 0.3 Anti-DSG1 = 104; anti-DSG3 = 810 U/mL, moderate disease activity Pred 40 mg/day 
PV16 M 78 15 Anti-DSG1 = 297; anti-DSG3 = 447 U/mL, moderate disease activity None 
DH1 F 65 8.4 Gluten-free diet, no clinical disease Dapsone 25 mg/day 
DH2 M 40 30 Normal diet, no clinical disease Dapsone 175 mg/day 
MS01 F 72 54 SPMS, EDSS 6.5, not clinically active None 
MS02 M 62 24 RRMS, EDSS 6.5, clinically active BIFN 
MS03 M 33 2 RRMS, EDSS 1.0, disease not clinically active BIFN 
MS04 M 75 29 SPMS, EDSS 8.0, disease not clinically active ITMTX 
MS05 M 52 24 PPMS, EDSS 6.5, disease clinically active MMF, pulse steroids 
MS06 M 55 25 PPMS, EDSS 7.5, disease clinically active ITMTX 
MS07 F 39 16 SPMS, EDSS 7.0, disease not clinically active Natalizumab (2 months earlier) 
MS08 F 51 7 SPMS, EDSS 5.5, disease not clinically active BIFN 
Diagnosis no.SexAge, yDisease duration, yAutoantibody/clinical statusImmunosuppressive therapy
RA01 M 54 11 RF = 600 IU/mL; anti-CCP = 68.5 U/mL MTX, ADA, Pred 5 mg/day 
RA02 F 44 4 RF = 352 IU/mL; anti-CCP>100 U/mL MTX 
RA03 F 54 14 RF = 146 IU/mL MTX, LEF 
RA04 F 85 18 RF = negative MTX, IFX 
RA05 M 69 19 RF = 208 IU/mL; anti-CCP>100 U/mL MTX, Pred 5 mg/day 
RA06 F 71 8 RF = negative MTX 
RA07 F 67 13 RF = 333 IU/mL ETN 
RA08 F 58 25 RF = 53 IU/mL MTX, ETN, Pred 3 mg/day 
RA09 F 68 7 RF = 339 IU/mL MTX, Pred 3 mg/day 
RA10 M 75 13 RF = 420 IU/mL; anti-CCP = 18.9 U/mL MTX, LEF, Pred 10 mg/day 
RA11 F 73 7 RF and anti-CCP = negative MTX, LEF 
RA12 M 61 27 RF = 107 IU/mL MTX, LEF 
RA13 F 66 6 RF = positive ADA 
RA14 F 84 11 RF = 275 IU/mL; anti-CCP = 28 U/mL ETN 
RA15 F 52 3 RF = negative; anti-CCP>100 U/mL ETN 
RA16 F 76 18 RF = positive MTX 
RA17 M 63 11 RF = negative; anti-CCP>100 U/mL MTX, SSZ, Pred 1 mg/day 
RA18 F 43 15 RF = 23 IU/mL MTX, IFX 
RA19 F 62 30 RF = 148 IU/mL; anti-CCP>100 U/mL LEF; Pred 5 mg/day 
SLE01 F 65 11 ANA = 1:2560; IgG CL and anti-dsDNA = positive HCQ, LEF, Pred 5 mg/day 
SLE02 M 31 3 ANA = 1:640; anti-RNP, anti-Sm, and anti-Ro = positive HCQ, Pred 3 mg/day 
SLE03 M 63 32 ANA = 1:640; anti-dsDNA and IgG anti-CL = positive HCQ, Pred 5 mg/day 
SLE04 F 37 5 ANA = 1:2560; anti-Ro = positive None 
SLE05 F 43 15 ANA = 1:160; RF = 36 IU/mL HCQ, MMF 
SLE06 F 46 8 ANA = positive; anti-Ro = positive MMF 2 g/day, Pred 10 mg/day 
SLE07 M 31 23 ANA = 1:160; anti-dsDNA and IgG anti-CL = positive HCQ 
SLE08 F 47 10 ANA = 1:2560; anti-dsDNA, anti-Ro and anti-La = positive; RF = 103 IU/mL None 
SLE09 F 37 16 ANA = positive; anti-dsDNA, anti-IgM and IgG CL = positive HCQ; Pred 10 mg/day 
SLE10 F 48 7 ANA = 1:2560; anti-dsDNA, anti-Ro and anti-La = positive Pred 5 mg/day 
SLE11 F 37 25 ANA = 1:640 HCQ 
SLE12 F 49 6 ANA = 1:640; anti-dsDNA and anti-Ro = positive HCQ 
SLE13 F 48 20 ANA = 1:640; anti-dsDNA and anti-Ro = positive Pred 5 mg/day 
SLE14 F 58 13 ANA = positive; anti-dsDNA, anti-Ro and anti-La = positive MMF, HCQ, Pred 10 mg/day 
SjS01 F 52 1 ANA = 1:2560; RF = 354 IU/mL; anti-Ro and anti-La = positive None 
SjS02 F 65 15 ANA = 1:2560; RF = 22 IU/mL; anti-Ro = positive HCQ 
SjS03 F 57 37 ANA = 1:160; anti-Ro = positive MMF, Pred 40 mg/day 
SjS04 F 67 22 ANA = 1:2560; RF 110 IU/mL, anti-Ro and anti-La = positive HCQ 
SjS05 F 60 9 ANA = 1:2560; RF = 126 IU/mL, anti-Ro = positive HCQ 
SjS06 F 58 21 ANA = 1:2560; anti-Ro and anti-La = positive None 
SjS07 F 41 13 ANA = 1:2560; anti-Ro and anti-La = positive HCQ 
SjS08 F 59 8 ANA = 1:2560; RF = 508 IU/mL; anti-Ro = positive None 
SjS09 F 42 4 ANA = 1:2560; RF = 110 IU/mL; anti-Ro and anti-La = positive HCQ 
SjS10 F 58 5 ANA = 1:2560; anti-Ro and anti-La = positive HCQ, Pred 3 mg/day 
SjS11 M 66 5 ANA = 1:2560; anti-Ro and anti-La = positive None 
SjS12 F 76 13 ANA = 1:2560; anti-Ro = positive; RF = 32 IU/mL None 
SjS13 M 51 1 ANA = 1:160 HCQ 
SjS14 F 68 28 ANA = 1:2560; anti-Ro = positive HCQ 
SjS15 F 66 12 ANA = 1:2560 None 
SjS16 F 64 8 ANA = 1:2560; anti-Ro = positive None 
SjS17 F 78 13 ANA = positive; anti-Ro = positive HCQ 
BP01 M 72 0.3 Anti-BP180 = 84 U/mL; anti-BP230 = 115 U/mL, no clinical disease Pred 60 mg/day 
BP02 M 54 1.2 Anti-BP180 = 72 U/mL; anti-BP230 = negative, no clinical disease MMF, Pred 12 mg/day 
BP03 F 56 2 Anti-BP180 = 51 U/mL; anti-BP230 = negative, no clinical disease Pred 20 mg/day 
BP04 M 75 4.3 Anti-BP180 = 45 U/mL; anti-BP230 = 3, mild disease None 
BP05 F 66 1.8 Anti-BP180 = 96 U/mL; anti-BP230 = 131, severe disease None 
BP06 M 77 0.5 Anti-BP180 = 5 U/mL; anti-BP230 = 95, mild disease None 
BP07 F 67 17 Anti-BP180 = 46 U/mL; anti-BP230 = negative, mild disease RTX (20 months earlier) 
BP08 F 54 2 Anti-BP180 = 22 U/mL; anti-BP230 = 7, no clinical disease RTX (13 months earlier), Pred 15 mg/day 
BP09 F 62 5.4 Anti-BP180 = 30 U/mL; anti-BP230 = 3, mild disease RTX (52 months earlier) 
BP10 M 73 0.25 Anti-BP180 = 222 U/mL; anti-BP230 = 7, no clinical disease Pred 50 mg/day 
PF01 M 54 8.6 Anti-DSG1 = 134 U/mL; anti-DSG3 = negative, mild disease activity AZA 
PF02 M 55 9.8 Anti-DSG1 = negative; anti-DSG3 = negative, mild disease activity RTX (30 months earlier) 
PF03 M 46 6.6 Anti-DSG1 = 416; anti-DSG3 = negative, moderate disease activity None 
PF04 M 50 5.3 Anti-DSG1 = 1906; anti-DSG3 = negative, moderate disease activity MMF 
PF05 M 72 2.8 Anti-DSG1 = 118; anti-DSG3 = negative, no clinical disease Dapsone 100 mg/day 
PF06 F 47 0.4 Anti-DSG1 = 211; anti-DSG3 = negative, moderate clinical disease activity Pred 40 mg/day 
PV02 M 43 3 Anti-DSG1 = negative; anti-DSG3 = 213 U/mL, moderate oral disease activity MMF, Pred 20 mg/day 
PV03 M 73 3.3 Anti-DSG1 = negative; anti-DSG3 = 948 U/mL, mild oral disease Pred 12 mg/day 
PV04 F 55 4.7 Anti-DSG1 = negative; anti-DSG3 = 406 U/mL, moderate oral disease activity RTX (15 months earlier) 
PV05 M 59 8.3 Anti-DSG1 = negative; anti-DSG3 = 50 U/mL, no disease activity AZA 
PV06 F 48 8.6 Anti-DSG1 = negative; anti-DSG3 = 25 U/mL, no disease activity None 
PV07 M 45 0.25 Anti-DSG1 = 968; anti-DSG3 = 735, severe disease involving 20% of the skin MMF; Pred 80 mg/day 
PV08 M 84 0.2 Anti-DSG1 = 75; anti-DSG3 = 146 U/mL, moderate disease activity None 
PV09 M 64 9.8 Anti-DSG1 = 14; anti-DSG3 = 115 U/mL, mild disease activity Pred 20 mg/day; IFX 
PV10 M 59 3.8 Anti-DSG1 = 1; anti-DSG3 = 49 U/mL, no disease activity AZA 
PV11 M 55 6 Anti-DSG1 = 34; anti-DSG3 = 35 U/mL, mild oral disease activity Pred 20 mg/day; MMF 
PV12 F 58 9.5 Anti-DSG1 = 1; anti-DSG3 = 43 U/mL, mild oral disease activity AZA 
PV13 M 75 5 Anti-DSG1 = 1; anti-DSG3 = 42 U/mL, mild disease RTX (6 months earlier), Pred 1 mg/day 
PV14 M 70 8.4 Anti-DSG1 = 110; anti-DSG3 = 113 U/mL, no clinical disease AZA 
PV15 F 37 0.3 Anti-DSG1 = 104; anti-DSG3 = 810 U/mL, moderate disease activity Pred 40 mg/day 
PV16 M 78 15 Anti-DSG1 = 297; anti-DSG3 = 447 U/mL, moderate disease activity None 
DH1 F 65 8.4 Gluten-free diet, no clinical disease Dapsone 25 mg/day 
DH2 M 40 30 Normal diet, no clinical disease Dapsone 175 mg/day 
MS01 F 72 54 SPMS, EDSS 6.5, not clinically active None 
MS02 M 62 24 RRMS, EDSS 6.5, clinically active BIFN 
MS03 M 33 2 RRMS, EDSS 1.0, disease not clinically active BIFN 
MS04 M 75 29 SPMS, EDSS 8.0, disease not clinically active ITMTX 
MS05 M 52 24 PPMS, EDSS 6.5, disease clinically active MMF, pulse steroids 
MS06 M 55 25 PPMS, EDSS 7.5, disease clinically active ITMTX 
MS07 F 39 16 SPMS, EDSS 7.0, disease not clinically active Natalizumab (2 months earlier) 
MS08 F 51 7 SPMS, EDSS 5.5, disease not clinically active BIFN 

Normal values are as follows: anti-BP = 180, anti-BP = 230, anti-DSG1 and anti-DSG3 antibodies < 9 IU/mL.

RA indicates rheumatoid arthritis; RF, rheumatoid factor; CCP, cyclic citrullinated peptide; MTX, methotrexate; ADA, adalimumab; Pred, prednisone; LEF, leflunomide; IFX, infliximab; ETN, etanercept; SLE, systemic lupus erythematosus; SSZ, sulfasalazine; ANA, antinuclear antibody; CL, cardiolipin; dsDNA, double-stranded DNA; HCQ, hydroxychloroquine; RNP, ribonucleoprotein; MMF, mycophenolate mofetil; SjS, primary Sjögren syndrome; BP, bullous pemphigoid; RTX, rituximab; DSG, desmoglein; PF, pemphigus foliaceus; PV, pemphigus vulgaris; AZA, azathioprine; DH, dermatitis herpetiformis; SPMS, secondary progressive multiple sclerosis; EDSS, disability scale (from 0 = normal to 10 = death); RRMS, relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis; BIFN, β-interferon; ITMTX, intrathecal methotrexate; and PPMS, primary progressive multiple sclerosis.

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