Table 1.
Patient demographic and clinical characteristics
| Parameters | Mean±SD/N (%) |
| Age (years) | 32.72±10.93 |
| Sex, n (%, female) | 68 (94.4) |
| Duration (years) | 6.48±5.68 |
| SLEDAI-2K | 9.88±4.50 |
| PGA | 1.40±0.70 |
| System involvement | N (%) |
| Skin | 24 (33.3) |
| Arthritis | 24 (33.3) |
| Serositis | 7 (9.7) |
| Central nervous system | 3 (4.2) |
| Kidney | 34 (47.2) |
| Blood system | 36 (50.0) |
| Serological | Mean±SD/N (%) |
| IgA (g/L) | 2.42±0.94 |
| IgG (g/L) | 13.17±6.49 |
| IgM (g/L) | 1.06±0.70 |
| Low C3 | 58 (80.6) |
| Low C4 | 59 (81.9) |
| ANA positive | 66 (91.7) |
| High anti-dsDNA | 53 (73.6) |
| Glucocorticoid use | Mean±SD/N (%) |
| At baseline (mg) | 19.15±14.52 |
| GC ≤10 mg | 33 (45.8) |
| 10 mg<GC<30 mg | 13 (18.1) |
| GC ≥30 mg | 26 (36.1) |
| Stable GC dose for 3 months before biologics | 44 (61.1) |
| Immunosuppressants | N (%) |
| HCQ | 68 (94.4) |
| MMF | 36 (50.0) |
| CYC | 12 (16.7) |
| LEF | 6 (8.3) |
| THAL | 1 (1.4) |
CYC, ciclosporin; dsDNA, double-stranded DNA; GC, glucocorticoid; HCQ, hydroxychloroquine; LEF, leflunomide; MMF, mycophenolate mofetil; PGA, Physician Global Assessment; SLEDAI-2K, SLE Disease Activity Index 2000; THAL, thalidomide.