Subject clinical characteristics
| SLE flare* n=11 | Infection* n=16 | p Flare versus infection | Inactive SLE n=16 | p Flare/inf versus inactive | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age | 34.4±13.1 | 34.04±12.84 | 0.942 | 38.5±12.8 | |
| Gender: female | 100% | 100% | 100% | ||
| Ethnicity | |||||
| Latino/Hispanic | 6 (54.5%) | 12 (75%) | 0.179 | 37.5% | 0.035 |
| Asian | 4 (36.4%) | 2 (12.5%) | 12.5% | ||
| African-American | 0% | 2 (12.5%) | 18.8% | ||
| Caucasian | 1 (9.1%) | 0% | 31.2% | ||
| Disease duration (years) | 6.18±5.23 | 8.44±9.25 | 0.472 | 11.44±8.8 | 0.137 |
| Fever at presentation | 6 (54.5%) | 15 (93.8%) | 0.016 | NA | |
| History CNS disease | 1 (9.1%) | 1 (6.3%) | 0.782 | ||
| History renal disease | 7 (63.6%) | 9 (56.3%) | 0.701 | ||
| Comorbid states | NA | ||||
| Diabetes | 0% | 0% | 1.0 | ||
| HTN | 2 (18.2%) | 5 (31.3%) | 0.446 | ||
| Smoking | 0 | 3 (18.8%) | 0.199 | ||
| Medications | |||||
| Current prednisone (mg/day) | 18.18±20.13 | 19.06±18.20 | 0.909 | 1.64±2.98 | 0.001 |
| Current DMARD† | 4 (36.4%) | 11 (68.8%) | 0.096 | 75% | 0.202 |
| WBC (×109/L′) day 1 | 5.19±3.31 | 6.23±4.16 | 0.499 | 5.58±3.06 | 0.843 |
| % Neutrophils day 1 | 78.36±12.44 | 74.48±23.58 | 0.622 | ||
| % Lymphocytes day 1 | 16.31±9.82 | 15.98±13.09 | 0.943 | 22.78±8.33 | 0.054 |
| Creatine day 1 | 0.91±0.58 | 0.92±.41 | 0.987 | NA | |
| low C3‡ | 7/10 (70%) | 4/15 (26.7%) | 0.032 | 1/16 (6.3%) | 0.001 |
| low C4‡ | 5/7 (71.4%) | 4/13 (30.8% | 0.081 | 0% | 0.002 |
| High titre anti-dsDNA‡ | 8/9 (88.9%) | 12/14 (85.7%) | 0.825 | 10/16 (62.5%) | 0.075 |
| SLEDAI (mean score) § | 13±6.02 | 6.31±6.94 | 0.016 | 2.13±1.82 | 0.001 |
| SLEDAI ≤6 | 18.2% | 75% | 0.006 | NA | |
| SLEDAI ≥12 | 72.7% | 12.5% | 0.001 | NA | |
*SLE flare/infection: A final diagnosis of infection was determined by positive culture results, antiviral antibody titres and/or PCR data. Others were grouped as flare.
†Current use of azathioprine, methotrexate, cyclophosphamide or mycophenolate mofetil.
‡High or low determination of C3, C4 and anti-dsDNA antibody titres was based on normal ranges provided by local labs. Serological testing was not done on all subjects; results are given for the subjects with available data.
§SLEDAI scores were determined at presentation on day 1and include points for complement and anti-dsDNA antibody titres.
CNS, central nervous system; DMARD, disease modifying anti-rheumatic drug; HTN, hypertension; SLE, systemic lupus erythematosus; SLEDAI, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index; WBC, white blood cell.