Table 1. Demographics and lupus disease features.
| Demographic Features | Number, N | 93 |
| Sex, M/F, N (%) | 6/87 (7%/93%) | |
| Age, years, mean ± SD | 47.3 ± 13.7 | |
| Disease duration, years, mean ± SD | 9.8 ± 6.8 | |
| Disease component (according to BILAG: almost 1 BILAG from A to C) | Neuro-Psychiatric disease, N (%) | 25 (27) |
| Active Renal disease, N (%) | 10 (11) | |
| Costitutional disease, N (%) | 68 (73) | |
| Muscoloskeletal disease, N (%) | 39 (42) | |
| Cardiovascular and respiratory disease, N (%) | 14 (15) | |
| Hematologic disease, N (%) | 25 (27) | |
| Previous Involvement (BILAG D) | Previous Renal disease, N (%) | 19 (20) |
| Anti-phospholipid Syndrome | 19 (20) | |
| SLE therapy | Mean monthly actual glucocorticoids dosage, mg of prednisone or equivalents, mean ± SD | 139.2 ± 129.4 |
| Cumulative exposure to glucocorticoids, years, mean ± SD | 7.9 ± 6.8 | |
| Cumulative exposure to glucocorticoids, percentage of disease duration, mean ± SD | 78% ± 34% | |
| Cumulative exposure to high dose glucocorticoids (daily dose ≥ 7.5 mg), years, mean ± SD | 3.8 ± 5.5 | |
| Cumulative exposure to high dose glucocorticoids (daily dose ≥ 7.5 mg), percentage of disease duration, mean ± SD | 39% ± 41% | |
| Antimalarial, ongoing, N (%) | 64 (68) | |
| Antimalarial, cumulative exposure, years, mean ± SD | 4.9 ± 4.4 | |
| Antimalarial, cumulative exposure, percentage of disease duration, mean ± SD | 61% ± 39% | |
| Azathioprine, N (%) | 33 (35) | |
| Methotrexate, N (%) | 15 (16) | |
| Mycophenolate Mofetil, N (%) | 11 (12) | |
| Oral Cyclophosphamide, N (%) | 4 (4) | |
| IV Cyclophosphamide (in the last 1 year), N (%) | 5 (5) | |
| Other immunosuppressant, N (%) | 8 (9) | |
| Rituximab in the last 2 years, N (%) | 9 (10) | |
| Belimumab in the last 2 years, N (%) | 0 (0) | |
| Disease Activity and Damage | Actual SELENA-SLEDAI, mean ± SD | 3.6 ± 4.2 |
| Mean SELENA-SLEDAI last year, mean ± SD | 4.5 ± 5.0 | |
| Mean number of flares, last 12 months, mean ± SD | 0.5 ± 0.9 | |
| SDI, mean ± SD | 0.6 ± 0.8 | |
| Traditional Cardio-vascular and metabolic risk factors (according to IFD criteria) | Metabolic Syndrome, N (%) | 31 (33) |
| Obesity (waist circumference ≥ 80 cm for women and ≥ 94 com for men), N (%) | 44 (47) | |
| Raised triglycerides level ≥ 150 mg/dL or specific treatment for this lipid abnormality, N (%) | 21 (23) | |
| Reduced HDL cholesterol < 50mg/dL in females, or specific treatment for this lipid abnormality, N (%) | 25 (27) | |
| Raised blood pressure systolic BP ≥ 130 or diastolic BP ≥ 85 mm Hg, or treatment of previously diagnosed hypertension, N (%) | 41 (44) | |
| Raised fasting plasma glucose (FPG) ≥ 100 mg/dL or previously diagnosed type 2 diabetes, N (%) | 8 (9) | |
| Current Smokers, N (%) | 14 (15) | |
| CVD personal history, N (%) | 10 (11) |
Abbreviations: M, male; F, female; IV, intra-venous; BILAG, British Isles Lupus Assessment Group [41]