Table 2.
Clinical and immunological characteristics of the cSLE cohort and the controls at first visit, first year and latest periods
| Characteristic, n (%) |
First visit | First year visit | Latest visit | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Controls (n = 51) | Cases (n = 113) | p-value | Controls (n = 51) | Cases (n = 113) | p-value | Controls (n = 51) | Cases (n = 113) | p-value | |
| Fever | 6 (12%) | 59 (52%) | < 0.001 | 6 (12%) | 60 (53%) | < 0.001 | 6 (12%) | 60 (53%) | < 0.001 |
| Malar rash | 0 | 28 (25%) | < 0.001 | 0 | 33 (29%) | < 0.001 | 0 | 34 (30%) | < 0.001 |
| Discoid rash | 0 | 5 (4.4%) | 0.326 | 0 | 7 (6.2%) | 0.100 | 0 | 7 (6.2%) | 0.100 |
| Photosensitivity | 0 | 12 (11%) | < 0.001 | 0 | 12 (11%) | 0.019 | 0 | 12 (11%) | 0.019 |
| Oral ulcer | 0 | 17 (15%) | < 0.001 | 0 | 18 (16%) | 0.001 | 0 | 20 (18%) | < 0.001 |
| Alopecia | 1 (2.0%) | 19 (17%) | 0.008 | 1 (2.0%) | 19 (17%) | 0.008 | 1 (2.0%) | 20 (18%) | 0.004 |
| Arthritis | 48 (94%) | 70 (62%) | < 0.001 | 48 (94%) | 72 (64%) | < 0.001 | 48 (94%) | 74 (65%) | < 0.001 |
| Renal disorders | |||||||||
| Proteinuria, > 0.5 g/day | 0 | 44 (39%) | < 0.001 | 0 | 51 (45%) | < 0.001 | 0 | 56 (50%) | < 0.001 |
| Cellular cast | 1 (2.0%) | 11 (9.7%) | 0.107 | 1 (2.0%) | 12 (11%) | 0.066 | 1 (2.0%) | 15 (13%) | 0.023 |
| Lupus nephritis, II-V | 0 | 33 (29%) | < 0.001 | 0 | 39 (35%) | < 0.001 | 0 | 46 (41%) | < 0.001 |
| Neurological disorders | 0 | 9 (8.0%) | 0.058 | 0 | 11 (9.7%) | 0.018 | 0 | 15 (13%) | 0.006 |
| Serositis | 0 | 12 (11%) | 0.019 | 0 | 17 (15%) | 0.002 | 0 | 21 (19%) | < 0.001 |
| Hematological disorders | |||||||||
| Hemolytic anemia | 0 | 30 (27%) | < 0.001 | 0 | 30 (27%) | < 0.001 | 0 | 33 (29%) | < 0.001 |
| Leukopenia | 0 | 45 (40%) | < 0.001 | 2 (3.9%) | 50 (44%) | < 0.001 | 2 (3.9%) | 52 (46%) | < 0.001 |
| Thrombocytopenia | 0 | 18 (16%) | 0.001 | 0 | 18 (16%) | 0.001 | 0 | 18 (16%) | 0.001 |
| Immunological disorders | |||||||||
| Antinuclear antibody | 51 (100%) | 100 (89%) | 0.010 | 51 (100%) | 104 (92%) | 0.058 | 51 (100%) | 105 (93%) | 0.059 |
| Anti-dsDNA | 3 (5.9%) | 72 (64%) | < 0.001 | 4 (7.8%) | 78 (69%) | < 0.001 | 4 (7.8%) | 81 (72%) | < 0.001 |
| Anti-smith | 1 (2.0%) | 13 (12%) | 0.066 | 1 (2.0%) | 15 (13%) | 0.023 | 1 (2.0%) | 16 (14%) | 0.024 |
| Antiphospholipid | 1 (2.0%) | 23 (20%) | 0.001 | 1 (2.0%) | 26 (23%) | < 0.001 | 1 (2.0%) | 30 (27%) | < 0.001 |
| Direct Coombs test | 1 (2.0%) | 47 (41%) | < 0.001 | 1 (2.0%) | 48 (42%) | < 0.001 | 1 (2.0%) | 50 (44%) | < 0.001 |
| Low C3 or low C4a | 2 (3.9%) | 31 (27%) | < 0.001 | 3 (5.9%) | 28 (25%) | 0.004 | 3 (5.9%) | 28 (25%) | 0.004 |
| Low C3 and low C4a | 0 | 66 (44%) | < 0.001 | 0 | 74 (65%) | < 0.001 | 0 | 74 (65%) | < 0.001 |
| Meet ACR 1997 | 2 (3.9%) | 56 (50%) | < 0.001 | 2 (3.9%) | 64 (57%) | < 0.001 | 2 (3.9%) | 74 (65%) | < 0.001 |
| Meet SLICC 2012 | 3 (5.9%) | 86 (76%) | < 0.001 | 3 (5.9%) | 95 (84%) | < 0.001 | 3 (5.9%) | 97 (86%) | < 0.001 |
| Meet ACR/EULAR 2017 | 4 (7.8%) | 92 (81%) | < 0.001 | 5 (9.8%) | 99 (88%) | < 0.001 | 5 (9.8%) | 101 (89%) | < 0.001 |
Neurological disorders include seizures, psychosis, delirium, neuropathy, or myelitis; VDRL, venereal disease research laboratory; ACR, American College of Rheumatology 1997; SLICC, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus International Collaborating Clinics; EULAR, European League Against Rheumatism
Luekopenia (< 4 × 109/L), thrombocytopenia (< 100 × 109/L), antiphospholipid (ACL (anticardiolipin antibody), B2GP-1 (anti–β2-glycoprotein 1), lupus anticoagulant)
The median disease duration was 5 (2.5–9) years with a range of 1–19 years
aThese groups are mutually exclusive