Table 1. Demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients.
* p-values showing statistically significant results.
Continuous data are presented as mean ± standard deviation or median (IQR).
AVN: avascular necrosis, AZA: azathioprine, BMI: body mass index, BVAS: Birmingham vasculitis activity score, CS: corticosteroid, CYC: cyclophosphamide, EGPA: eosinophilic granulomatous polyangiitis, GPA: granulomatous polyangiitis, MCS: mental component summary, MMF: mycophenolate mofetil, MPA: microscopic polyangiitis, MTX: methotrexate, PCS: physical component summary, RTX: rituximab, RLS: restless leg syndrome, SF-36: Short Form-36, TPE: therapeutic plasmapheresis
| Variables | Patients (n=30) | Controls (n=30) | p-value |
| Age, years | 51.8 ± 13.9 | 50.2 ± 13.6 | 0.667 |
| Male gender, n (%) | 18 (60) | 11 (36.7) | 0.121 |
| BMI, kg/m2 | 26.9 ± 4.3 | 27.3 ± 3.7 | 0.710 |
| Disease duration | 76.3 ± 37.3 | - | - |
| Diseases | |||
| GPA | 19 (63.3) | - | - |
| MPA | 7(23.3) | - | - |
| EGPA | 4(13.4) | - | - |
| Comorbidities, n (%) | |||
| Hypertension | 13 (43.3) | - | - |
| Diabetes mellitus | 7 (23.3) | - | - |
| Chronic respiratory diseases | 9 (30) | - | - |
| Chronic kidney disease | 6 (20) | - | - |
| Coronary artery disease | 2 (6.7) | - | - |
| Induction treatments, n (%) | |||
| CYC + CS | 20 (66.7) | - | - |
| CYS+CS+TPE | 2 (6.7) | - | - |
| RTX+CS | 2 (6.7) | - | - |
| MMF+CS | 1 (3.3) | - | - |
| AZA +CS | 2 (6.7) | - | - |
| MTX+ CS | 3 (10) | - | - |
| Current treatments, n (%) | |||
| RTX | 19 (63.3) | - | - |
| AZA | 5 (16.7) | - | - |
| MMF | 2 (6.7) | - | - |
| MTX | 4 (13.3) | - | - |
| Follow-up without treatment | 5 (16.8) | - | - |
| Treatment-related comorbidities, n (%) | |||
| AVN | 1 (3.3) | - | - |
| Bone marrow suppression | 1 (3.3) | - | - |
| Relapsing disease | 13 (43.3) | - | - |
| Time to relapse | |||
| <2 year | 1 (8.3) | - | - |
| ≥2 and <5 years | 6 (50) | - | - |
| ≥5 years | 5 (41.7) | - | - |
| BVAS | 2.5 (6) | - | - |
| Disease activity at the time of evaluation, n (%) | |||
| Active disease | 9 (30) | - | - |
| Remission | 21 (70) | - | - |
| Persistent organ damage, n (%) | |||
| Yes | 19 (63.3) | - | - |
| Renal involvement | 7 (23.3) | - | - |
| Hearing loss | 11 (36.7) | - | - |
| Nose and throat | 3 (10) | - | - |
| Nervous system involvement | 3 (10) | - | - |
| Ocular involvement | 2 (6.7) | - | - |
| No | 11(36.7) | - | - |
| RLS diagnosis, n (%) | 5 (16.7) | 1 (3.3) | 0.195 |
| Neuropathic pain, n (%) | 8 (26.7) | 0 (0) | 0.005* |
| SF-36 questionnaire | |||
| Physical functioning | 87.5 (22.5) | 92.5 (35) | 0.497 |
| Role limitations due to physical health | 100 (100) | 100(50) | 0.521 |
| Role limitations due to emotional problems | 100 (41.7) | 100(0) | 0.08 |
| Energy fatigue | 53.3±21.0 | 58.3±20.8 | 0.358 |
| Emotional well-being | 70 (32) | 74 (29) | 0.226 |
| Social functioning | 75 (52.5) | 100 (37.5) | 0.096 |
| Pain | 77.5 (55) | 90 (55) | 0.250 |
| General health | 51.0±16.8 | 65.7±20.3 | 0.003* |
| Health change | 50 (27.5) | 50 (0) | 0.881 |
| SF-36-PCS | 73.8 (39.1) | 75.3 (51) | 0.336 |
| SF-36-MCS | 69.4 (30) | 77.9 (25.2) | 0.183 |