As shown in Fig. 1, serum BAFF levels were significantly higher in patients with either GD (1.18 ± 0.33ng/ml, P = 0.0027) or HT (1.02 ± 0.24, P = 0.0331)than those in healthy controls (0.93 ± 0.24ng/ml, Fig. 1). This evidence concerns the gene TNFSF13B and hematocrit.