Table 1.

Clinical and demographic characteristics of SLE patients ^*

Sex, female/male	26 /1
Age, mean ± SD	47.28 ± 17.2
Active / Inactive	16 (59%) / 11 (41%)
SLE duration, mean ± SD	6.7 ±5.6
SLEDAI (mean ± SD)
Active SLE	13.86 ± 4.99
Inactive SLE	4.22 ± 1.56
Nephritis
Active SLE	7 / 16
Inactive SLE	0 /11
Total	7 / 27
CNS
Active SLE	6 / 16
Inactive SLE	0 /11
Total	6 / 27
Cytotoxic therapy
Active SLE	4 / 16
Inactive SLE	1 / 11
Total	5 / 27
Steroids
Active SLE	9 / 16
Inactive SLE	3 / 11
Total	12 / 27
Hydroxychloroquine
Active SLE	10 / 16
Inactive SLE	3 / 11
Total	13 / 27

^*Active SLE was defined as an SLE Disease Activity Index score of ≥8 and inactive as SLEDAI < 8. Controls included 10 healthy bone marrow donors (5 men and 5 women), 35–55 years of age.