Characteristics of study population
| N | 183 |
| Age (years, mean±SEM) | 44.4±15.0 |
| Ethnicity (Asian:Caucasian:other*) | 90:54:39 (49%:30%:21%) |
| Gender (female:male, n (%)) | 154:29 (84%:16%) |
| ACR criteria (median (range)) | 5 (4–9) |
| Duration SLE (years, mean±SEM) | 9.9±7.7 |
| Visits observed (n, median (IQR)) | 12 (6–21) |
| Period observed (days, median (IQR)) | 1113 (469–1603) |
| ANA positive (n (%)) | 180 (100%) |
| ANA titre (median (range)) | 1280 (80–2560) |
| Anti-dsDNA positive (n (%)) | 133 (72.7%) |
| Hypocomplementemia (n (%)) | 139 (75.9%) |
| Use of prednisolone (n (%)) | 138 (75.4%) |
| Adjusted mean prednisone dose (mg/day, mean±SEM) | 7.6±0.66 |
| AMS (mean±SEM) | 4.34±0.23 |
| SDI (median (range)) | 1 (0–12) |
*Other—those identifying as ‘other’ or declining to be identified ethnically.
ACR, American College of Rheumatology; AMS, (time) adjusted mean SLEDAI; ANA, antinuclear antibody; SLE, systemic lupus erythematosus; SLEDAI, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index.