Table 1.
Demographic and disease activity data, clinical features, serological parameters, and therapies of our SLE cohort and in the two main groups identified.
| Whole SLE Cohort N = 175 |
SLE Patients with SDI = 0 N = 70 |
SLE Patients with SDI ≥ 1 N = 105 |
p Value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M/F | 15/160 | 3/67 | 12/93 | n.s. |
| Median age–years [IQR] | 31 (18) | 46 (16) | 54 (14) | p = 0.0001 |
| Median disease duration -months [IQR] | 227 (138) | 183 (108) | 267 (156) | p = 0.0001 |
| Disease activity patterns, n (%) | ||||
| Minimal Disease Activity | 121 (69.2) | 51 (72.8) | 70 (66.7) | n.s. |
| Persistent Active Disease | 24 (13.7) | 9 (12.) | 15 (14.3) | n.s. |
| Relapsing Remitting | 30 (17.1) | 10 (14.3) | 20 (19.0) | n.s. |
| Clinical features, n (%) | ||||
| Skin manifestation | 150 (85.7) | 56 (80.1) | 94 (89.5) | n.s. |
| Malar rash | 119 (68.0) | 46 (65.7) | 73 (69.5) | n.s. |
| Photosensitivity | 129 (73.7) | 47 (67.1) | 82 (78.1) | n.s. |
| Oral ulcers | 44 (25.1) | 18 (25.7) | 26 (26.7) | n.s. |
| Alopecia | 21 (12.0) | 8 (11.4) | 13 (12.4) | n.s. |
| Discoid rash | 16 (9.1) | 7 (10.0) | 9 (8.6) | n.s. |
| Joint involvement | 156 (89.1) | 59 (84.3) | 97 (92.4) | n.s. |
| Renal involvement | 67 (38.3) | 22 (31.4) | 45 (42.8) | n.s. |
| Mesangial nephritis | 19 (10.8) | 7 (10.0) | 12 (11.4) | n.s. |
| Proliferative nephritis | 38 (21.7) | 13 (18.6) | 25 (23.8) | n.s. |
| Membranous nephritis | 10 (5.7) | 2 (2.8) | 8 (7.6) | n.s. |
| Hematological manifestation | 101 (57.7) | 39 (55.7) | 62 (59.0) | n.s. |
| Leukopenia | 78 (44.6) | 31 (44.3) | 47 (44.7) | n.s. |
| Thrombocytopenia | 44 (25.1) | 14 (20.0) | 30 (28.6) | n.s. |
| Hemolytic anemia | 10 (5.7) | 5 (7.1) | 5 (4.7) | n.s. |
| Neuropsychiatric involvement | 47 (26.8) | 6 (8.6) | 41 (39.0) | p = 0.00001 |
| Central NPSLE | 36 (20.6) | 5 (7.1) | 31 (29.5) | p = 0.00005 |
| Peripheral NPSLE | 11 (6.3) | 1 (1.4) | 10 (9.5) | p = 0.009 |
| Serositis | 48 (27.4) | 15 (21.4) | 33 (31.4) | n.s. |
| Pericarditis | 38 (21.7) | 12 (17.1) | 26 (24.7) | n.s. |
| Pleuritis | 30 (17.1) | 9 (12.8) | 21 (20.0) | n.s. |
| Anti-phospholipid syndrome | 42 (24.0) | 10 (12.3) | 32 (30.5) | p = 0.0017 |
| Laboratory parameters, n (%) | ||||
| Anti-dsDNA | 132 (75.4) | 46 (65.7) | 86 (81.9) | p = 0.0099 |
| Low C3/C4 serum levels | 107 (61.1) | 40 (57.1) | 67 (63.8) | n.s. |
| Anti-cardiolipin antibodies IgM/IgG | 69 (39.4) | 26 (37.1) | 43 (40.9) | n.s. |
| Anti-B2-glycoprotein I antibodies IgM/IgG | 37 (21.1) | 11 (15.7) | 26 (24.7) | n.s. |
| Lupus anticoagulant | 43 (24.6) | 12 (17.1) | 31 (29.5) | p = 0.04 |
| Anti-Ro/SSA | 51 (29.1) | 20 (28.6) | 31 (29.5) | n.s. |
| Anti-La/SSB | 21 (12.0) | 7 (10.0) | 14 (13.3) | n.s. |
| Anti-RNP | 29 (16.6) | 19 (18.1) | 10 (14.3) | n.s. |
| Anti-Sm | 26 (14.8) | 18 (17.1) | 8 (11.4) | n.s. |
| Treatments, n (%) | ||||
| Glucocorticoids [GC] | 175 (100) | 70 (100) | 105 (100) | n.s. |
| GC intake ≥ 10 years | 78 (44.6) | 18 (24.0) | 60 (57.1) | p = 0.00001 |
| Hydroxychloroquine | 162 (92.6) | 60 (85.7) | 102 (97.1) | n.s. |
| Azathioprine | 62 (35.4) | 21 (30.0) | 41 (39.0) | n.s. |
| Cyclosporine A | 39 (22.3) | 11 (15.7) | 28 (26.6) | n.s. |
| Methotrexate | 58 (33.1) | 20 (28.6) | 38 (36.2) | n.s. |
| Mycophenolate Mofetil | 69 (39.4) | 12 (17.1) | 36 (34.2) | p = 0.0058 |
| Cyclophosphamide | 25 (14.3) | 1 (1.4) | 24 (22.8) | p = 0.00001 |
| Belimumab | 28 (16.0) | 8 (11.4) | 19 (18.1) | n.s. |
| Rituximab | 8 (4.6) | 3 (4.2) | 5 (4.7) | n.s. |
Legend: non-significant (n.s).