Diagnostic value of inflammatory biomarkers of IgA vasculitis based on Olink technology.

BACKGROUND

Abdominal IgA vasculitis (IgAV) often presents with nonspecific symptoms, complicating accurate diagnosis. There is an urgent need for plasma biomarkers that can reliably distinguish affected patients from healthy individuals.

OBJECTIVE

To identify and validate plasma inflammatory biomarkers for abdominal IgAV using Olink technology.

METHODS

Fasting plasma samples were collected from 10 IgAV patients with abdominal involvement and 10 healthy controls. The Olink Target 96 Inflammation panel was employed to quantify 92 inflammation-related proteins, followed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) validation in an expanded cohort.

RESULTS

Twenty-two cytokines were significantly upregulated in IgAV patients compared to controls. Among these, IL-8, OSM, TGF-α, TNFSF-14, and HGF exhibited strong diagnostic potential. In the validation cohort, IL-8, OSM, and TNFSF-14 remained significantly elevated. The combined ROC AUC for these three markers was 0.922 (95% CI: 0.823-1.021), with a sensitivity of 83.3% and specificity of 90.0%, notably outperforming any single marker. Decision curve analysis confirmed the clinical utility of this combined panel. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that these proteins are closely linked to inflammatory pathways, including cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction and the NF-κB signaling cascade.

CONCLUSION

IL-8, OSM, and TNFSF-14 represent promising plasma biomarkers for abdominal IgAV. Our findings offer novel insights into disease pathogenesis and indicate a more accessible diagnostic strategy.