Table 1.
Comparison of respondents practising in Europe and Asia who would continue, reduce or withdraw treatments in a patient with SLE with major organ involvement in remission and normal serology
| Europe | Asia | p Value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stable for 1 year | |||
| HCQ | |||
| Continue | 45/48 (93.8) | 42/49 (85.7) | 0.04 |
| Reduce | 1/48 (2.1) | 7/49 (14.3) | |
| Withdraw | 2/48 (4.2) | 0 | |
| Prednisolone | |||
| Continue | 3/48 (6.3) | 5/49 (10.2) | 0.38 |
| Reduce | 37/48 (77.1) | 40/49 (81.6) | |
| Withdraw | 8/48 (16.7) | 4/49 (8.2) | |
| Immunosuppressant agents | |||
| Continue | 35/48 (72.9) | 16/49 (32.7) | <0.001 |
| Reduce | 11/48 (22.9) | 32/49 (65.3) | |
| Withdraw | 2/48 (4.2) | 1/49 (2.0) | |
| Stable for 3 years | |||
| HCQ | |||
| Continue | 44/46 (95.7) | 35/47 (74.5) | 0.004 |
| Reduce | 0 | 10/47 (21.3) | |
| Withdraw | 2/46 (4.3) | 2/47 (4.3) | |
| Prednisolone | |||
| Continue | 8/46 (17.4) | 3/47 (6.4) | <0.001 |
| Reduce | 18/46 (39.1) | 39/47 (83.0) | |
| Withdraw | 20/46 (43.5) | 5/47 (10.6) | |
| Immunosuppressant agents | |||
| Continue | 23/46 (50) | 17/47 (36.2) | 0.07 |
| Reduce | 16/46 (34.8) | 27/47 (57.4) | |
| Withdraw | 7/46 (15.2) | 3/47 (6.4) | |
| Stable for 5 years | |||
| HCQ | |||
| Continue | 40/43 (93.0) | 31/42 (73.8) | 0.02 |
| Reduce | 1/43 (2.3) | 9/42 (21.4) | |
| Withdraw | 2/43 (4.7) | 2/42 (4.8) | |
| Prednisolone | |||
| Continue | 5/43 (11.6) | 3/42 (7.1) | 0.002 |
| Reduce | 17/43 (39.5) | 32/42 (76.2) | |
| Withdraw | 21/43 (48.8) | 7/42 (16.7) | |
| Immunosuppressant agents | |||
| Continue | 24/43 (55.8) | 17/42 (40.5) | <0.001 |
| Reduce | 5/43 (11.6) | 23/42 (54.8) | |
| Withdraw | 14/43 (32.6) | 2/43 (4.8) | |
Results are shown as number (%).
Patient was said to be in remission based on “no evidence of any organ involvement, has a normal eye examination and a normal full blood count, renal profile, inflammatory markers and urinary examination”. Duration of remission was varied as indicated above (1, 3 or 5 years) with the patient having no current serological abnormalities (ie absence of high anti-dsDNA antibodies and normal complement levels) and receiving currently prescribed treatment (HCQ, steroids and immunosuppressant agents).
HCQ, hydroxychloroquine.