Table 1.
Pre-PSM and post-PSM characteristics of the tacrolimus and sirolimus groups at baseline
| Pre-PSM | Post-PSM | |||||
| Tacrolimus (n=356) | Sirolimus (n=52) | P value | Tacrolimus (n=52) | Sirolimus (n=52) | P value | |
| Female, n (%) | 327 (89.59) | 43 (82.69) | 0.141 | 43 (82.69) | 43 (82.69) | 1.000 |
| Age | 32.13±10.28 | 38.37±11.47 | 0.000 | 37.62±11.21 | 38.37±11.47 | 0.737 |
| Disease duration (years) | 5.00 (2.00, 9.00) | 6.00 (2.00, 9.00) | 0.299 | 6.00 (1.50, 9.50) | 6.00 (2.00, 9.00) | 0.737 |
| ANA positive, n (%) | 350 (95.89) | 51 (98.08) | 0.705 | 50 (96.15) | 51 (98.08) | 1.000 |
| ACL positive, n (%) | 38/239 (15.9) | 5/42 (11.9) | 0.645 | 5/35 (14.3) | 5/42 (11.9) | 1.000 |
| Anti-β2GPI positive, n (%) | 33/228 (14.5) | 6/41 (14.6) | 1.000 | 4/30 (13.3) | 6/41 (14.6) | 1.000 |
| LA positive, n (%) | 39/185 (21.1) | 3/37 (8.1) | 0.070 | 5/25 (20.0) | 3/37 (8.1) | 0.250 |
| C3 | 0.76 (0.56, 1.00) | 0.74 (0.55, 0.96) | 0.458 | 0.77 (0.61, 0.94) | 0.74 (0.55, 0.96) | 0.385 |
| C4 | 0.14 (0.09, 0.22) | 0.13 (0.09, 0.20) | 0.592 | 0.15 (0.11, 0.25) | 0.13 (0.09, 0.20) | 0.171 |
| Elevated anti-dsDNA, n (%) | 154 (42.19) | 30 (57.69) | 0.035 | 24 (46.15) | 30 (57.69) | 0.239 |
| SLEDAI-2K | 7.74±5.08 | 8.27±3.08 | 0.020 | 7.88±5.67 | 8.27±3.08 | 0.079 |
| PhGA | 1.21±0.61 | 1.10±0.56 | 0.211 | 1.21±0.63 | 1.10±0.56 | 0.345 |
| Mucocutaneous involvement, n (%) | 236 (64.66) | 32 (61.54) | 0.660 | 34 (65.38) | 32 (61.54) | 0.684 |
| Musculoskeletal involvement, n (%) | 176 (48.22) | 27 (51.92) | 0.617 | 23 (44.23) | 27 (51.92) | 0.432 |
| Haematological involvement, n (%) | 147 (40.27) | 30 (57.69) | 0.017 | 22 (42.31) | 30 (57.69) | 0.117 |
| Serositis, n (%) | 243 (66.58) | 30 (57.69) | 0.208 | 36 (69.23) | 30 (57.69) | 0.222 |
| Lupus nephritis, n (%) | 237 (64.93) | 26 (50) | 0.037 | 34 (65.38) | 26 (50) | 0.112 |
| Haematuria, n (%) | 152 (41.6) | 20 (38.5) | 0.764 | 24 (46.2) | 20 (38.5) | 0.552 |
| NPSLE, n (%) | 10 (2.74) | 2 (3.85) | 0.652 | 1 (1.92) | 2 (3.85) | 1.000 |
| Gastrointestinal involvement, n (%) | 5 (1.37) | 1 (1.92) | 0.553 | 1 (1.92) | 1 (1.92) | 1.000 |
| Eye involvement, n (%) | 2 (0.55) | 0 (0) | 1.000 | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | N/A |
| Cardiovascular involvement, n (%) | 16 (4.38) | 2 (3.85) | 1.000 | 3 (5.77) | 2 (3.85) | 1.000 |
| Pulmonary involvement, n (%) | 3 (0.82) | 2 (3.85) | 0.119 | 0 (0) | 2 (3.85) | 0.495 |
| GC usage, n (%) | 336 (92.05) | 44 (84.62) | 0.078 | 44 (84.62) | 44 (84.62) | 1.000 |
| GC dose (mg/day) | 13 (8, 30) | 12 (8, 22) | 0.249 | 15 (10, 30) | 12 (8, 22) | 0.109 |
| HCQ, n (%) | 281 (76.99) | 39 (75) | 0.751 | 35 (67.31) | 39 (75) | 0.387 |
| MMF, n (%) | 103 (28.22) | 13 (25) | 0.628 | 11 (21.15) | 13 (25) | 0.642 |
| Other IS, n (%) | 35 (9.59) | 11 (21.15) | 0.013 | 4 (7.69) | 11 (21.15) | 0.051 |
| Tacrolimus dose (mg/day) | 2±1 | N/A | N/A | 2±1 | N/A | N/A |
| Sirolimus dose (mg/day) | N/A | 1.03±0.31 | N/A | N/A | 1.03±0.31 | N/A |
ACL, anticardiolipin antibody; anti-dsDNA, anti-double-stranded DNA; GC, glucocorticoid; HCQ, hydroxychloroquine; IS, immunosuppressant; LA, lupus anticoagulant; MMF, mycophenolate mofetil; N/A, not applicable; NPSLE, neuropsychiatric SLE; PhGA, physician’s global assessment; PSM, propensity score matching; SLEDAI-2K, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index 2000; β2GPI, β2-glycoprotein I.