Table 1

Demographic and clinical characteristics*

Total population
(n=1879)
Age†, mean (SD)44.0 (11.0)
Female†, n (%)1782 (94.8)
Index year†, n (%)
 2011456 (24.3)
 2012512 (27.2)
 2013332 (17.7)
 2014367 (19.5)
 2015212 (11.3)
Geographic region†, n (%)
 Northeast356 (18.9)
 North Central291 (15.5)
 South856 (45.6)
 West363 (19.3)
 Unknown13 (0.7)
Population density†, n (%)
 Urban1656 (88.1)
 Rural210 (11.2)
 Unknown13 (0.7)
Charlson Comorbidity Index, mean (SD)1.3 (0.9)
Ward SLE Risk Adjustment Index, mean (SD)0.8 (1.7)
Comorbidities‡, n (%)
 Arthralgia528 (28.6)
 Hypertension438 (23.3)
 Myositis/myalgia390 (20.8)
 Haematologic disorders384 (20.4)
 Pulmonary disease335 (17.8)
 Rheumatoid arthritis290 (15.4)
 Depression287 (15.3)
 Cardiac disease287 (15.3)
 Ophthalmologic disorders255 (13.6)
  • *Patients with SLE identified via the IBM MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters Database (2010–2015) with ≥1 belimumab intravenous infusion during 2011–2015.

  • †Characteristic recorded on the index date; all other characteristics were recorded during the 6-month preindex period.

  • ‡Comorbidities with an incidence of ≥10% are presented; information on patient comorbidities was collected based on a prespecified list of conditions commonly associated with SLE (eg, other inflammatory polyarthropathies, autoimmune thyroid disorders, pericarditis, myositis/myalgia, hypertension, renal disease, depression, cardiac disease, cerebrovascular disease, liver disease, pulmonary disease, osteoporosis/osteopenia), as well as conditions that may be considered in the differential diagnosis of SLE (eg, rash, fever, mouth ulcers, haematologic disorders, Reynaud’s phenomenon, ophthalmologic disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, arthralgia).