Table 2.
Potential indicators that predict the ideal long-term goals (“A” and “B” at 5 years).
| Characteristic | A-5y | B-5y | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No, n = 11 | Yes, n = 12 | p-Value | No, n = 12 | Yes, n = 11 | p-Value | |
| Baseline | ||||||
| Age, years | 45 (39–54) | 45 (28–64) | 0.878 | 46 (41–59) | 43 (28–59) | 0.735 |
| Female sex, no. (%) | 9 (82) | 11 (92) | 0.590 | 9 (75) | 11 (100) | 0.217 |
| Cr, mg/dl | 0.70 (0.56–1.15) | 0.69 (0.60–0.71) | 0.423 | 0.86 (0.57–1.15) | 0.68 (0.58–0.70) | 0.218 |
| eGFR (ml/min/1.73 m2) | 73 (44–90) | 82 (67–89) | 0.424 | 72 (45–89) | 83 (74–90) | 0.218 |
| Proteinuria (g/day) | 2.1 (1.6–5.2) | 2.9 (1.5–5.1) | 0.951 | 2.9 (1.8–5.1) | 2.7 (1.3–4.9) | 0.712 |
| C3 (mg/dl) | 36 (30–52) | 59 (34–82) | 0.295 | 39 (31–57) | 62 (33–82) | 0.355 |
| Anti-dsDNA titer (IU/ml) | 123 (28–310) | 91 (47–205) | 1.000 | 129 (29–284) | 78 (40–194) | 0.805 |
| SLEDAI-2K scores | 21 (18–25) | 22 (17–27) | 0.643 | 21 (19–24) | 23 (16–28) | 0.643 |
| Biopsy class, no. (Class III/IV/V/III + V and IV + V) | 1/5/2/3 | 2/3/0/7 | 0.443 | 2/5/2/3 | 1/3/0/7 | 0.443 |
| AI | 2 (1–6) | 2 (1–5) | 0.975 | 2 (1–5) | 2 (1–6) | 1.000 |
| CI | 3 (2–6) | 2.5 (2–3) | 0.482 | 3 (2–5) | 3 (2–4) | 0.701 |
| At 6 months | ||||||
| Cr (mg/dl) | 0.80 (0.62–0.99) | 0.73 (0.62–0.78) | 0.229 | 0.86 (0.62–1.05) | 0.73 (0.60–0.76) | 0.069 |
| eGFR (ml/min/1.73 m2) | 66 (50–79) | 76 (59–85) | 0.325 | 64 (50–78) | 78 (60–85) | 0.176 |
| Proteinuria (g/day) | 0.19 (0.06–0.90) | 0.10 (0.03–0.35) | 0.195 | 0.18 (0.06–0.87) | 0.09 (0.03–0.48) | 0.218 |
| Normal urine sediment, no. (%) | 8 (73) | 11 (92) | 0.317 | 9 (75) | 10 (91) | 0.590 |
| CRR, no. (%) | 6 (55) | 8 (67) | 0.680 | 7 (58) | 7 (64) | 1.000 |
| CR, no. (%) | 3 (27) | 7 (58) | 0.214 | 3 (25) | 7 ( 64) | 0.100 |
| C3 (mg/dl) | 78 (67.5–89) | 94 (82.3–102) | 0.157 | 81 (70–93) | 95 (82–103) | 0.207 |
| Anti-dsDNA titer (IU/ml) | 3.9 (3.3–24) | 3.4 (1.8–6.4) | 0.166 | 4.4 (3.4–23) | 3.3 (1.6–5.1) | 0.079 |
| SLEDAI-2K scores | 4 (2–7) | 0 (0–2.5) | 0.013 | 4 (2–6.5) | 0 (0–3) | 0.046 |
| cSLEDAI-R, no. (%) | 3 (27) | 9 (75) | 0.039 | 4 (33) | 8 (73) | 0.100 |
| SLEDAI-R, no. (%) | 1 (9) | 7 (58) | 0.027 | 2 (17) | 6 (55) | 0.089 |
| PSL dose (mg/day) | 13 (11–14) | 11 (10–12) | 0.114 | 13 (10–14) | 11 (10–12) | 0.269 |
| At 12 months | ||||||
| Cr (mg/dl) | 0.77 (0.70–1.04) | 0.71 (0.64–0.77) | 0.196 | 0.78 (0.70–1.04) | 0.68 (0.64–0.75) | 0.056 |
| eGFR (ml/min/1.73 m2) | 65 (50–75) | 74 (63–78) | 0.325 | 64 (47–75) | 75 (68–80) | 0.140 |
| Proteinuria (g/day) | 0.12 (0.04–0.24) | 0.05 (0.03–0.06) | 0.073 | 0.12 (0.03–0.21) | 0.05 (0.03–0.06) | 0.194 |
| Normal urine sediment, no. (%) | 10 (91) | 10 (83) | 1.000 | 10 (83) | 10 (91) | 1.000 |
| CRR, no. (%) | 9 (82) | 12 (100) | 0.217 | 10 (83) | 11 (100) | 0.478 |
| CR, no. (%) | 6 (55) | 9 (75) | 0.400 | 6 (50) | 9 (82) | 0.193 |
| C3 (mg/dl) | 81 (65–89) | 95 (89–101) | 0.006 | 82 (66–89) | 96 (89–104) | 0.013 |
| Anti-dsDNA titer (IU/ml) | 7.0 (2.2–16) | 3.3 (2.0–6.3) | 0.139 | 6.4 (2.3–15) | 3.0 (1.6–5.8) | 0.109 |
| SLEDAI-2K scores | 2 (1–5) | 0 (0–0.5) | 0.030 | 2 (1.5–4.5) | 0 (0–0) | 0.008 |
| cSLEDAI-R, no. (%) | 6 (55) | 10 (83) | 0.193 | 6 (50) | 10 (91) | 0.069 |
| SLEDAI-R, no. (%) | 3 (27) | 9 (75) | 0.039 | 3 (25) | 9 (82) | 0.012 |
| DORIS-R, no. (%) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | NA | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | NA |
| A-12 m, no. (%) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | NA | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | NA |
| B-12 m, no. (%) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | NA | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | NA |
| PSL dose, mg/day | 10 (8–11) | 7 (6–8) | 0.002 | 10 (8–11) | 7 (6–8) | 0.012 |
| At Biopsy 2 (2 years) | ||||||
| Cr (mg/dl) | 0.73 (0.68–1.12) | 0.69 (0.56–0.74) | 0.103 | 0.79 (0.68–1.11) | 0.68 (0.56–0.72) | 0.039 |
| eGFR (ml/min/1.73 m2) | 66 (46–76) | 79 (65–84) | 0.065 | 66 (48–75) | 80 (73–86) | 0.027 |
| Proteinuria (g/day) | 0.05 (0.03–0.31) | 0.04 (0.02–0.08) | 0.477 | 0.05 (0.03–0.24) | 0.04 (0.01–0.09) | 0.421 |
| Normal urine sediment, no. (%) | 8 (73) | 11 (92) | 0.317 | 4 (33) | 5 (46) | 0.680 |
| CRR, no. (%) | 9 (82) | 11 (92) | 0.590 | 10 (83) | 10 (91) | 1.000 |
| CR, no. (%) | 5 (46) | 9 (75) | 0.214 | 5 (42) | 9 (82) | 0.089 |
| C3 (mg/dl) | 79 (72–85) | 94 (83–108) | 0.010 | 80 (72–88) | 96 (83–108) | 0.018 |
| Anti-dsDNA titer (IU/ml) | 3.3 (1.6–8.9) | 2.9 (1.6–4.3) | 0.355 | 3.3 (1.8–8.2) | 2.9 (1.5–4.3) | 0.309 |
| SLEDAI-2K scores | 2 (1–4) | 0 (0–0) | 0.004 | 2 (0–4) | 0 (0–0) | 0.009 |
| cSLEDAI-R, no. (%) | 5 (46) | 11 (92) | 0.027 | 6 (50) | 10 (91) | 0.069 |
| SLEDAI-R, no. (%) | 3 (27) | 11 (92) | 0.003 | 4 (33) | 10 (91) | 0.009 |
| DORIS-R, no. (%) | 2 (18) | 11 (92) | 0.001 | 3 (25) | 10 (91) | 0.003 |
| A-2y, no. (%) | 1 (9) | 11 (92) | <0.001 | 2 (17) | 10 (91) | 0.001 |
| B-2y, no. (%) | 2 (18) | 10 (83) | 0.003 | 2 (17) | 10 (91) | 0.001 |
| PSL dose (mg/day) | 8 (7–9) | 5 (5–5) | <0.001 | 8 (7–9) | 5 (5–5) | 0.001 |
| AI | 1 (1–3) | 1 (1–1) | 0.162 | 1 (1–2) | 1 (1–1) | 0.227 |
| CI | 4 (3–6) | | 4 (3–4) | 0.594 | 4 (3–6) | 4 (3–5) | 0.754 |
| LR, no. (%) | 7 (64) | 10 (83) | 0.371 | 8 (67) | 9 (82) | 0.640 |
| IR, no. (%) | 2 (18) | 6 (50) | 0.193 | 3 (25) | 5 (46) | 0.400 |
| ER, no. (%) | 3 (27) | 10 (83) | 0.012 | 4 (33) | 9 (82) | 0.036 |
| EDD score | 2 (2–3) | 0 (0–1) | 0.003 | 2 (1–3) | 0 (0–1) | 0.004 |
Data are shown as the median (IQR) or the number of patients (percentage). The indicators that can predict both the ideal 5-year goals, A-5y and B-5y, are highlighted in bold. A-5y, “A” goal at 5 years defined as SLEDAI-2K = 0 and PSL ⩽5 mg/day; B-5y, “B” goal at 5 years defined as proteinuria ⩽0.2 g/day and normal serum Cr levels and PSL ⩽5 mg/day; A-2y, “A” goal at 2 years; B-2y, “B” goal at 2 years; A-12m, “A” goal at 12 months; B-12m, “B” goal at 12 months.
AI, activity index; CI, chronicity index; Cr, creatinine; CR, complete remission; CRR, complete renal response; cSLEDAI-R, Clinical Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index Remission; DORIS, definitions of remission in SLE; EDD, electron-dense deposit; eGFR, estimated glomerular filtration rate; ER, electron microscopy remission; IQR, interquartile range; IR, immunofluorescence remission; LR, light microscopy remission; PSL, prednisolone; SLEDAI-R, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index Remission.