Table 2. . Demographic, clinical and serological features of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.
| Characteristic | SLE (n = 60) | HC (n = 20) | p-value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age (years) | 35.27 ± 12.21 | 30.90 ± 8.58 | 0.09 |
| Sex, n (% female) | 49 (81.67) | 15 (75) | 0.53 |
| Disease duration (years) | 5.09 ± 0.92 | ||
| Current concomitant medications | 58 (96.67) | ||
| Hydroxychloroquine, n (%) | 36 (60) | ||
| Prednisone, n (%) | 58 (96.67) | ||
| Current dose of prednisone (mg/day) | 33.67 ± 25.53 | ||
| Cyclophosphamide, n (%) | 20 (33.33) | ||
| Cumulate dose of cyclophosphamide (g) | 2.25 ± 2.16 | ||
| Mycophenolate mofetil | 3 (5) | ||
| Leflunomide | 1 (1.67) | ||
| SLEDAI-2000 | 6.2 ± 4.46 | ||
| Active SLE patients (SLEDAI-2000 ≥5) | 32 (53.33) | ||
| Mean SLEDAI-2000 scores | 9.53 ± 3.25 | ||
| Inactive SLE patients (SLEDAI-2000 <5) | 28 (46.67) | ||
| Mean SLEDAI-2000 scores | 2.39 ± 1.77 | ||
| System involved, n (% positive) | |||
| Mucocutaneous involvement | 26 (43.33) | ||
| Arthritis | 21 (35) | ||
| Nephritis | 38 (63.33) | ||
| Hematological involvement | 25 (41.67) | ||
| Laboratory features, n (% positive) | |||
| ANA | 60 (100) | ||
| ANA titer <1:1000 | 27 (45) | ||
| ANA titer ≥1:1000 | 33 (55) | ||
| Anti-dsDNA antibody | 34 (56.67) | ||
| Anti-dsDNA titer <1:100 | 21 (35) | ||
| Anti-dsDNA titer ≥1:100 | 13 (21.67) | ||
| Anti-SSA antibody | 35 (58.33) | ||
| Anti-SSB antibody | 21 (35) | ||
| Anti-Sm antibody | 29 (48.33) | ||
| Anti-RNP antibody | 35 (58.33) | ||
| C3 (g/l) | 0.56 ± 0.04 | ||
| C4 (g/l) | 0.12 ± 0.01 | ||
| IgG (g/l) | 15.17 ± 9.41 | ||
| IgA (mg/l) | 2597.08 ± 1438.96 | ||
| IgM (mg/l) | 1134.98 ± 939.55 | ||
| IgE (IU/ml) | 47.06 ± 64.7 | ||
| ESR (mm/h) | 33.78 ± 20.8 | ||
| CRP (mg/dl) | 8.67 ± 15.45 | ||
| Leukocyte count (109/l) | 7.33 ± 0.61 | ||
| Lymphocyte count (109/l) | 1.29 ± 0.26 | ||
| Granulocyte count (109/l) | 5.50 ± 0.54 |
Data are expressed as absolute numbers (%) or the mean ± standard deviation.
ANA: Anti-nuclear antibody; C3/4: Complement component 3/4; ESR: Erythrocyte sedimentation rate; HC: Healthy control; SLE: Systemic lupus erythematosus; SLEDAI-2000: SLE Disease Activity Index 2000; Sm: Smith; SSA: Sjögren syndrome-related antigen A; SSB: Sjögren syndrome-related antigen B.