Table 2.
Disease characteristics of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in highest quartile leptin levels compared with lowest three quartiles
| Highest quartile leptin (≥29.5 ng/ml) | Lowest three quartiles leptin (<29.5 ng/ml) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Characteristics | n=61 | n=189 | p Value |
| Age (years, (mean±SD)) | 44.7±13.4 | 41.8±12.5 | NS |
| History of hypertension (% (n)) | 31.1 (19) | 30.7 (58) | NS |
| History of diabetes (% (n)) | 4.9 (3) | 5.3 (10) | NS |
| History of smoking (current) (% (n)) | 6.6 (4) | 7.9 (15) | NS |
| History of previous cardiovascular disease (% (n)) | 14.8 (9) | 6.3 (12) | 0.04 |
| Body mass index | 28.5±7.1 | 25.5±6.1 | 0.001 |
| Family history of CAD (% (n)) | 19.7 (12) | 26.5 (50) | NS |
| Previous history of glomerulonephritis (%(n)) | 18.0 (11) | 28.0 (53) | NS |
| Total cholesterol (mg/dl, (mean±SD)) | 196.0±48.5 | 184.4±42.1 | NS |
| HDL (mg/dl, (mean±SD)) | 58.0±17.8 | 56.4±16.7 | NS |
| LDL (mg/dl, (mean±SD)) | 115.4±39.0 | 105.3±34.1 | 0.08 |
| Triglycerides (mg/dl, (mean±SD)) | 113.3±68.4 | 110.2±67.7 | NS |
| History of dyslipidaemia | 19.7 (12) | 15.3 (29) | NS |
| Disease duration (years, (mean±SD)) | 12.9±9.2 | 12.2±8.0 | NS |
| SELENA-SLEDAI (mean±SD) | 3.8±3.4 | 4.0±4.1 | NS |
| SDI damage (mean±SD) | 1.48±1.5 | 1.2±1.6 | 0.04 |
| Intima-media thickness (mm2, (mean±SD)) | 0.57±0.14 | 0.54±0.14 | NS |
| Presence of carotid plaque (yes, no) (% (n)) | 29.5 (18) | 13.2 (25) | <0.003 |
| Number of plaques (mean±SD) | 0.61±1.2 | 0.30±0.95 | 0.004 |
| High sensitivity CRP (mean±SD) | 4.04±11.1 | 2.4±4.8 | NS |
| Non-Caucasian ethnicity (% (n)) | 26.2 (16) | 22.8 (43) | NS |
| Current medication (% (n)) | |||
| Mycophenolate mofetil | 19.7 (12) | 23.3 (44) | NS |
| Hydroxychloroquine | 59.0 (36) | 62.4 (118) | NS |
| Cyclophosphamide | 3.3 (2) | 0.5 (1) | NS |
| Azathioprine | 6.6 (4) | 13.8 (26) | NS |
| Current prednisone (mg, (mean±SD)) | 4.8±9.1 | 4.3±7.7 | NS |
| 6-Month prednisone (mg, (mean±SD)) | 687.0±1041.1 | 821.7±1304.8 | NS |
| Lp(a) (mg/dl) | 24.9±25.9 | 16.9±9.7 | 0.01 |
| OxPL/apoB100 (RLU) | 22035.1±24583.3 | 13895.1±18182.1 | 0.02 |
| Proinflammatory HDL (% (n)) | 60.7 (37) | 49.2 (93) | <0.001 |
CAD, coronary artery disease; CRP, C-reactive protein; HDL, high-density lipoprotein; LDL, low-density lipoprotein; OxPL/apoB100, oxidised phospholipids on apoB100; SDI, Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index; SELENA, Safety of Estrogens in Lupus Erythematosus—National Assessment; SLEDAI, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index; RLU, relative light units