Vasculitis & polymyalgia rheumatica
Identification of distinct subgroups in Chinese patients with Behçet’s syndrome via cluster analysis of immune cells and clinical features
Authors' conclusion
Unsupervised clustering of BS patients revealed four distinct subtypes with significant clinical and immunological heterogeneity, which may provide a foundation for mechanistic studies and personalized treatment.
Study context
- Population
- Chinese patients with Behçet's syndrome (BS), prospectively enrolled
- Participants
- 201 patients
- Exposure
- Four clusters of BS patients identified by unsupervised clustering of clinical manifestations and immune cell subsets
- Outcome
- Distinct clinical and immunological clusters
Methodological detailsunsupervised machine learning cluster analysis, flow cytometry, RNA sequencing, one-year follow-up, RNA sequencing in clustered BS patients and healthy controls, Patients followed up for one year to evaluate treatment response and remission rates
- Unsupervised machine learning cluster analysis
- Flow cytometry
- RNA sequencing
- One-year follow-up
- RNA sequencing in clustered BS patients and healthy controls
- Patients followed up for one year to evaluate treatment response and remission rates
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- 201 BS patients categorized into four clusters with distinct clinical and immunological features
- Cluster 1: high remission; transcriptomic enrichment in IFN-γ, IL-6 and JAK-STAT pathways
- Cluster 2: responded well to TNFi; enrichment in TNF and B-cell activation pathways
- Cluster 3: also responded to TNFi; enrichment in coagulation, platelet activation and MAPK pathways
- Cluster 4: low remission, better response to MMF; enrichment in T-cell activation and NF-κB pathways
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Original publication
Identification of distinct subgroups in Chinese patients with Behçet’s syndrome via cluster analysis of immune cells and clinical features. Arthritis Res Ther. Published 29 June 2026. doi:10.
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