LGALS9 and rheumatoid arthritis: Serum Gal-9 levels in patients with ASD (median: 21.57 ng/ml, interquartile range IQR [11.41–39.72]) were significantly higher compared to those in patients with RA (7.58 ng/ml, IQR [5.57–10.20] p < 0.001) as well as those in HCs (4.51 ng/ml, [IQR; 3.58–5.45], p < 0.001).