Significant association between clinical characteristics and changes in peripheral immuno-phenotype in large vessel vasculitis.

Our results from peripheral immuno-phenotyping analysis indicate that the numbers of Th and Tfh cells changed along with the disease condition in both GCA and TAK, while that of CD8+ T cells did not, especially in TAK. Treatment with biologic agents decreased the proportion of Th and Tfh cells, but not CD8+ T cells, in the patients. Chronological immuno-phenotyping data explained the difference in therapeutic response, such as reactivities against biologics, between GCA and TAK.