Table 5 Association between size of the CD4+ CD25^high population and use of corticosteroids.

CD4+ CD25high (%)	Corticosteroids		Univariate analysis, OR (95% CI), p value*	Multivariate analysis†, OR (95% CI), p value*
	Non–users, n (%)	Users, n (%)
Low (<8.4)	43 (58.9)	30 (41.1)
High (⩾8.4)	11 (29.7)	26 (70.3)	3.39 (1.45 to 7.88) 0.005	3.59 (1.35 to 9.51) 0.010

*Calculated by unconditional binary logistic regression modelling, using the percentage of CD4+ CD25^high T cells as the dependent variable and patients without glucocorticoid treatment as reference.

†Adjusted for clinical parameters: malar rash, discoid lesions, photosensitivity, oral ulcers, arthritis, serositis, renal, neurological or haematological disorder, and level of anti‐double‐stranded DNA antibodies at the time of sampling.