Table 1

Demographic, clinical and biological characteristics of the SLE cohort

CharacteristicsSLE cohort
(n=118)
Age (years), mean (SD)45.4 (14.2)
Female, n (%)100 (84.7)
Asian ethnicity*, n (%)57 (48.3)
Caucasian ethnicity*, n (%)57 (48.3)
Disease duration (years), median (IQR)7.2 (3.9–14.7)
SLEDAI-2K at baseline, median (IQR)3 (2–6)
 Active disease (SLEDAI-2K >4), n (%)39 (33.1)
AMS, median (IQR)3.5 (1.9–5.6)
 AMS >4, n (%)49 (43)
Domain-specific disease activity at baseline†, n (%)
 Fever0 (0)
 Neurological4 (3.4)
 Renal21 (17.8)
 Mucocutaneous23 (19.5)
 Musculoskeletal10 (8.5)
 Serosal2 (1.7)
 Vascular0 (0)
 Serological85 (72)
 Haematological3 (2.5)
Flare‡ at baseline, n (%)28 (23.7)
Flare‡ over time, n (%)83 (70.3)
SDI at baseline, median (IQR)1 (0–2)
 SDI >0, n (%)73 (62.4)
Patients with damage accrual (∆SDI >0), n (%)29 (25.2)
Treatment at baseline, n (%)
 Prednisone67 (56.8)
 Hydroxychloroquine103 (87.3)
 Immunosuppressants§57 (48.3)
Clinical laboratory data at baseline
CRP (mg/L), median (IQR)1.6 (0.7–3.5)
ESR (mm/hour), median (IQR)15 (7–28)
UPCR (g/mmol), mean (SD)0.06 (0.13)
Proteinuria¶, n (%)18 (15.8)
C3 (g/L), mean (SD)0.9 (0.3)
C4 (g/L), mean (SD)0.2 (0.1)
Anti-dsDNA positivity, n (%)62 (52.5)
  • Data are expressed as mean (SD), median (IQR) or as number (percentage).

  • *Other ethnicities included Hispanic (1; 0.8%), Maori (2; 1.7%) and Samoan (1; 0.8%).

  • †Individual organ domain disease activity was assessed by the SLEDAI-2K.

  • ‡Encompasses mild, moderate and severe flares.

  • §Immunosuppressants include methotrexate, azathioprine, mycophenolate mofetil, mycophenolate acid, leflunomide, ciclosporin A and/or cyclophosphamide.

  • ¶Proteinuria defined as UPCR >0.05 g/mmol, using SLEDAI-2K cut-off.

  • AMS, adjusted mean SLEDAI-2K; CRP, C reactive protein; dsDNA, double-stranded DNA; ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate; SDI, Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index; SLEDAI-2K, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index 2000; UPCR, urine protein to creatinine ratio.