TABLE 1.
Select Demographics and Year 1 Characteristics (Full Table Available in the Supplementary Materials)
| Characteristics and demographics | All patients (N = 8,083) | |
|---|---|---|
| Demographic characteristicsa | ||
| Age, mean SD, y | 40.9 | 12.3 |
| Female sex, n % | 7,537 | 93.3 |
| Race, n % | ||
| White | 3,097 | 38.3 |
| Black | 3,794 | 46.9 |
| Other | 1,192 | 14.7 |
| Urbanicity, urban, n % | 6,312 | 78.1 |
| Clinical characteristicsb | ||
| Selected ECI conditions, n % | ||
| Chronic pulmonary disease | 1,937 | 24.0 |
| Depression | 2,809 | 34.8 |
| Diabetes | 1,375 | 17.0 |
| Hypertension | 4,225 | 52.3 |
| Hypothyroidism | 977 | 12.1 |
| Obesity | 1,982 | 24.5 |
| Other neurological disordersc | 1,387 | 17.2 |
| Renal failure | 840 | 10.4 |
| SLE-related comorbidities, n %d | ||
| Anxiety | 2,816 | 34.8 |
| Atherosclerosis | 546 | 6.8 |
| Cerebrovascular diseasee | 719 | 8.9 |
| Endocarditis | 774 | 9.6 |
| Myocardial infarction | 283 | 3.5 |
| Pericarditis | 206 | 2.5 |
| Chronic kidney disease | 1,093 | 13.5 |
| Fibromyalgia | 2,040 | 25.2 |
| Fractures | 455 | 5.6 |
| Kidney transplant | 50 | 0.6 |
| Lupus nephritis | 1,207 | 14.9 |
| Osteoarthritis | 1,916 | 23.7 |
| Osteoporosis | 440 | 5.4 |
| Pleurisy/pleural effusion | 396 | 4.9 |
| Raynaud disease | 495 | 6.1 |
| Thrombocytopenia | 500 | 6.2 |
| Number of flares, mean SD | 3.9 | 2.0 |
| Treatment characteristicsb | ||
| SLE treatments, n % | ||
| Antimalarials | 4,460 | 55.2 |
| Biologics | 397 | 4.9 |
| Immunosuppressants | 2,609 | 32.3 |
| Systemic corticosteroids | 2,907 | 36.0 |
| Cumulative OCS dosef in 100 mg, mean SD | 9.15 | 17.32 |
| Most advanced SLE treatments, n % | ||
| No antimalarial, immunosuppressant, or biologic use | 2,905 | 35.9 |
| Antimalarial (without immunosuppressant or biologic) | 2,454 | 30.4 |
| Immunosuppressant (without biologic use) | 2,327 | 28.8 |
| Biologic | 397 | 4.9 |
| Concomitant medications, n % | ||
| Antidepressants | 4,220 | 52.2 |
| Antihypertensives | 4,539 | 56.2 |
| Opioids | 4,148 | 51.3 |
| All-cause health care utilization and costsb | ||
| Patients with an IP admission, n % | 2,128 | 26.3 |
| Patients with an ED visit, n % | 5,649 | 69.9 |
| Total health care costs, mean SD, USD | $19,996 | $59,337 |
a Demographic characteristics were measured on the index date.
b Clinical characteristics, treatment characteristics, and health care utilization and costs were measured during the 12-month period before the index date.
c “Other” neurological conditions are defined in the ECI as neurological conditions other than dementia, seizures and epilepsy, or neurological disorders affecting movement.
d The SLE-related comorbidities were adapted from Ward 2000. 10
e Cardiovascular disease is inclusive of cerebrovascular disease and myocardial infarction, as well as other cardiovascular-related conditions.
f OCS dosing was measured in prednisone-equivalent doses.
ECI = Elixhauser Comorbidity Index; ED = emergency department; IP = inpatient; OCS = oral corticosteroid; SLE = systemic lupus erythematosus; USD = United States dollar; y = year.