Table 1

Patient characteristics of the vaccinated and unvaccinated groups

VaccinatedUnvaccinatedP value
Number, n7474
Female, n (%)71 (96)73 (99)0.62
Age, years, mean (SD)50 (14)44 (14)0.11
Disease duration, years19.5 (10.75, 27.5)17 (8.75, 25.25)0.45
Body mass index20.8 (18.8, 22.5)19.8 (19.4, 21.98)0.65
Complications
 Lupus nephritis, n (%)37 (50.0)41 (55.4)0.62
 Antiphospholipid antibody syndrome, n (%)7 (9.5)3 (4.1)0.33
Comorbidity
 Rheumatoid arthritis, n (%)6 (8.1)4 (5.4)0.75
 Sjögren’s syndrome, n (%)6 (8.1)9 (12.2)0.59
 Mixed connective tissue disease, n (%)3 (4.1)2 (2.7)1.00
 Systemic sclerosis, n (%)3 (4.1)7 (9.5)0.33
Treatment
 Glucocorticoid, n (%)64 (89.9)69 (93.2)0.28
 Prednisolone dose (mg)5 (3, 8)6 (4, 8)0.19
 Hydroxychloroquine, n (%)27 (36.5)28 (37.8)1.00
 Immunosuppressant or biologics, n (%)52 (70.3)54 (73.0)0.86
  Tacrolimus, n (%)26 (35.1)30 (40.5)0.61
  Azathioprine, n (%)11 (14.9)9 (12.2)0.81
  Mycophenolate mofetil, n (%)10 (13.5)15 (20.3)0.38
  Methotrexate, n (%)6 (8.1)7 (9.5)1.00
  Mizoribine, n (%)6 (8.1)7 (9.5)1.00
  Ciclosporin A, n (%)4 (5.4)4 (5.4)1.00
  Belimumab, n (%)9 (12.2)14 (18.9)0.36
Serological disease activity
 Anti-DNA antibody (IU/mL)5 (2.25, 14.5)7 (4, 11)0.56
 C3 (mg/dL)82.9 (71.8, 94.3)88.9 (71.7, 102.5)0.35
 CH50 (CH50/mL)41 (35, 46.3)41 (36, 46.3)0.46
Disease activity score
 SLEDAI-2K score6 (2, 10)6 (4, 12)0.60
Disease activity
 None (SLEDAI-2K: 0), n (%)14 (18.9)6 (8.1)0.09
 Low (SLEDAI-2K: 1–5), n (%)18 (24.3)30 (40.5)0.053
 Moderate (SLEDAI-2K: 6–10), n (%)26 (35.1)19 (25.7)0.28
 High (SLEDAI-2K: 11–19), n (%)13 (17.6)14 (18.9)1.00
 Very high (SLEDAI-2K: <19), n (%)3 (4.1)5 (6.8)0.72
SSC-J score29 (11, 49)35 (10, 53)0.77
Physician VAS (mm)17 (7.5, 33.25)20 (9.75, 33)0.67
Patient VAS (mm)45.5 (22, 59)54 (29, 67.5)0.06
SARS-CoV-2 vaccination
 BNT162b2 (Pfizer/BioNTech), n (%)65 (88)
 mRNA-1273 (Moderna), n (%)9 (12)
COVID-19 infection0 (0.0)0 (0.0)
  • All glucocorticoids were converted to equivalent prednisolone doses. The χ2 and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests were used for categorical and continuous variables, respectively. Continuous variables are expressed as IQRs.

  • mRNA, messenger RNA; SLEDAI-2K, SLE Disease Activity Index-2000; SSC-J, Japanese version of the SLE Symptom Checklist Questionnaire; VAS, visual analogue scale.