Table 3.
Autoantibodies and medications of SLE patients who did or did not have flares after COVID-19 vaccination.
|
SLE flares (N = 37) |
No SLE flares (N = 412) | P | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autoantibodies ever | Mean ± SD; Number (%) | ||
| Anti-dsDNA | 26 (70.3) | 266 (64.6) | 0.49 |
| Anti-Ro | 26 (70.3) | 250 (60.7) | 0.25 |
| Anti-La | 12 (32.4) | 84 (20.4) | 0.09 |
| Anti-Sm | 14 (37.8) | 83 (20.1) | 0.01 |
| Anti-nRNP | 18 (48.6) | 127 (30.8) | 0.03 |
| Anti-phospholipid antibody | 7/31 (22.6) | 105/363 (28.9) | 0.45 |
| Lupus serology before vaccination | |||
| Anti-dsDNA titer (IU/ml) | 200 ± 212 | 123 ± 169 | 0.048 |
| C3 (g/L) | 0.81 ± 0.25 | 0.98 ± 0.28 | <0.001 |
| C4 (g/L) | 0.17 ± 0.11 | 0.21 ± 0.10 | 0.04 |
| Elevated anti-dsDNA* | 23 (62.2) | 173 (42.0) | 0.02 |
| Low C3** | 21 (56.8) | 124 (30.1) | 0.001 |
| Low C4** | 22 (59.5) | 102 (24.8) | <0.001 |
| Elevated anti-dsDNA or low C3/4 | 29 (78.4) | 240 (58.3) | 0.02 |
| Immunosuppressive medications within 6 months before vaccination | |||
| Prednisolone | 22 (59.5) | 150 (36.4) | 0.006 |
| Hydroxychloroquine | 24 (64.9) | 212 (51.5) | 0.12 |
| Azathioprine | 4 (10.8) | 65 (15.8) | 0.42 |
| Mycophenolate mofetil | 14 (37.8) | 122 (29.6) | 0.30 |
| Calcineurin inhibitors | 3 (8.1) | 35 (8.5) | 0.94 |
| Cyclophosphamide | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | – |
| Rituximab | 1 (2.7) | 2 (0.5) | 0.23 |
| Belimumab | 0 (0.0) | 4 (1.0) | 1.00 |
SLE = systemic lupus erythematosus; SD = standard deviation.
*
above 25% of the upper normal range;
**
below normal range.