Table 1.

Characteristics of subjects with SLE myelitis, SLE + NMO, and SLE + MS at neurologic event presentation

	SLE myelitis (n=7)	SLE + NMO (n=3)	SLE + MS (n=5)	p-value
Demographic Characteristics
Age, mean ± SD years	41 ± 10	46 ± 14	40 ± 13	0.80
Sex				0.67
Female	5 (71)	3 (100)	5 (100)
Male	2 (29)	0 (0)	0 (0)
Racea				1.00
White	6 (86)	3 (100)	5 (100)
Black	1 (14)	0 (0)	0 (0)
Years since SLE onset, mean ± SD	10 ± 11	22 ± 15	16 ± 3	0.23
Clinical Characteristics
SLE flare	3 (43)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0.25
Median SLEDAI-2K score (IQR)	8 (7–16)	6 (0–14)	2 (0–4)	0.02
Sensory loss	6 (86)	1 (33)	3 (60)	0.39
Weakness	4 (57)	2 (67)	1 (20)	0.41
Bowel or bladder symptoms	3 (60)	1 (33)	1 (20)	0.77
Optic neuritis	2 (29)	2 (67)	0 (0)	0.13
Laboratory Characteristics
Elevated anti-dsDNA antibody	6 (86)	1 (33)	0 (0)	0.03
Hypocomplementemia	4 (57)	1 (33)	1 (33)	1.00
Antiphospholipid antibody positive	5 (71)	0 (0)	1 (20)	0.15
Median ESR in mm/hr (IQR)b	19 (12–45)	22 (13–34)	11 (5–20)	0.24
Median CRP in mg/L (IQR)b	7 (2–13)	5 (2–8)	0.6 (0.6–2)	0.07
Oligoclonal bands in CSF	2(67)	0 (0)	2 (100)	0.23
MRI Characteristics
Single spinal lesion	5 (71)	1 (50)	1 (25)	0.39
Contrast-enhancing lesion(s)	4 (67)	1 (50)	1 (25)	0.48
Longitudinally extensive myelitisc	2 (29)	1 (50)	1 (25)	1.00

SLE=systemic lupus erythematosus; NMO=neuromyelitis optica; MS=multiple sclerosis; SD=standard deviation; SLEDAI-2K= SLE Disease Activity Index 2000; IQR=interquartile range; dsDNA=double-stranded deoxyribonucleic acid; ESR=erythrocyte sedimentation rate; mm/hr=millimeters per hour; CRP=C-reactive protein; mg/L=milligrams per liter; CSF=cerebrospinal fluid; MRI=magnetic resonance imaging.

^aAll patients were non-Hispanic.

^bReference range for ESR is 0–20 mm/hr. Reference range for CRP is 0–8.0 mg/L.

^cLongitudinal extension: involving ≥3 vertebral segments.