Frequency of cytokine autoantibodies among prepandemic and intrapandemic samples stratified by SARS-CoV-2 exposure (positive RT-PCR test or positive SARS-CoV-2 serology)
| Prepandemic | Intrapandemic | |||||
| Exposed patients with SLE* n=9 (%) | Unexposed patients with SLE† n=164 (%) | P value‡ | Exposed patients with SLE* n=9 (%) | Unexposed ptients with SLE† n=164 (%) | P value‡ | |
| IFN γ | 0 (0) | 17 (10.4) | 0.658 | 1 (11.1) | 8 (4.9) | 0.961 |
| IFN-α2b | 0 (0) | 6 (3.7) | 1.000 | 0 (0) | 6 (3.7) | 1.000 |
| IFN β | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | NA | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | NA |
| BAFF | 0 (0) | 8 (4.9) | 1.000 | 1 (11.1) | 10 (6.1) | 1.000 |
| TNF-α | 0 (0) | 3 (1.8) | 1.000 | 0 (0) | 1 (0.6) | 1.000 |
| G-CSF | 0 (0) | 4 (2.4) | 1.000 | 1 (11.1) | 1 (0.6) | 0.205 |
| IL-1α | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | NA | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | NA |
| IL-6 | 2 (22.2) | 13 (7.9) | 0.381 | 1 (11.1) | 8 (4.9) | 0.961 |
| IL-8 | 0 (0) | 1 (0.6) | 1.000 | 0 (0) | 1 (0.6) | 1.000 |
| IL-10 | 0 (0) | 10 (6.1) | 0.976 | 1 (11.1) | 9 (5.5) | 1.000 |
| IL-12 | 0 (0) | 4 (2.4) | 1.000 | 0 (0) | 3 (1.8) | 1.000 |
| IL-15 | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | NA | 0 (0) | 1 (0.6) | 1.000 |
| IL-17A | 1 (11.1) | 6 (3.7) | 0.813 | 1 (11.1) | 2 (1.2) | 0.367 |
| IL-17F | 0 (0) | 5 (3.0) | 1.000 | 0 (0) | 2 (1.2) | 1.000 |
| IL-18 | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | NA | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | NA |
| IL-22 | 1 (11.1) | 7 (4.3) | 0.891 | 1 (11.1) | 7 (4.3) | 0.891 |
| Any | 3 (33.3) | 46 (28.0) | 1.000 | 2 (22.2) | 38 (23.1) | 1.000 |
*Exposure to SARS-CoV-2 defined as positive RT-PCR test and/or positive serology (n=9).
†Not exposed to SARS-CoV-2 defined as negative RT-PCR test, negative serology or not assessed (n=164).
‡The p values for the respective χ2 comparisons. A value of p<0.003 is considered statistically significant based on the Bonferroni correction.
BAFF, B cell activating factor; G-CSF, granulocyte colony stimulating factor; IFN, interferon; IL, interleukin; NA, not applicable; RT-PCR, reverse transcriptase PCR assay for SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA; TNF, tumour necrosis factor.