The serum concentrations of anti-HMGB1 antibodies in the patients of autoimmune disease subtype were significantly higher than those of the other (infectious, malignant tumor-related, and undetermined) subtypes, and the concentrations of anti-HMGB1 antibodies in serum of patients with autoimmune disease subtype were positively correlated with ESR. Here, HMGB1 is linked to autoimmune disease.