BAFF as a predictive marker for treatment response in immune thrombocytopenia patients

Background Immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is a hematological autoimmune bleeding disorder that characterized by isolated thrombocytopenia (platelet count <100 x 10(9)/L) with unclear pathophysiology due to contribution of many cytokines, one of them is B-cell activating factor (BAFF) which affect both B-cell and T-cell activation and survival. Objectives This work aimed to study serum BAFF levels in the Egyptian ITP patients, and the relation between its level and response to steroid therapy, as well its value as a predictive marker for steroid response in ITP patients. Patients and methods 90 subjects were recruited, and divided into 45 patients with primary ITP, and 45 healthy subjects. Serum BAFF was estimated using the ELISA technique. Results BAFF level was significantly higher in the ITP patients than in the control group. Serum BAFF level was significantly higher in newly diagnosed ITP cases and steroids-resistant ITP cases. BAFF was negatively correlated with platelet count, while MPV, PDW, and LDH were positively correlated, BAFF level at a cut-off 201.01 pg/ ml is a good predictive for steroid resistance in ITP cases. Conclusion BAFF could be a good inexpensive helper to determine the response to steroid treatment in ITP cases. Egypt J Haematol 2023 48:316-322 (c) 2024 The Egyptian Journal of Haematology