In particular, three (cases 3, 4 and 12) out of five patients (cases 3, 4, 10, 11 and 12) with high BAFF levels (> 1.5 ng/mL) had positive test results for autoantibodies (for example, RF or anti-SS-A antibody), which is consistent with previous studies showing that serum BAFF levels were correlated with positive results for serum autoantibodies in patients with RA [29], SLE [30], pSS [31], or IM [33]. The gene discussed is TNFSF13B; the disease is rheumatoid arthritis.