Table 1

Baseline characteristics of patients with SLE in this study

Total patients with SLE (N=1022)SILD IV-CYC (n=506)HD IV-CYC (n=256)P value
(SILD vs HD)
Sex (female:male)934:88463:43234:220.964
Age (years)39.00 (30.00–50.00)40.00 (31.00–51.00)39.00 (30.00–50.00)0.699
Age onset (years)31.00 (23.00–42.00)32.00 (24.00–43.00)31.50 (23.00–42.00)0.421
CYC course (months)6.00 (3.00–10.00)6.00 (3.00–10.63)6.00 (4.00–8.75)0.471
Accumulated dose of CYC (g)4.80 (2.40–8.00)4.80 (2.40–8.40)5.60 (3.20–8.00)0.139
Glucocorticoid dose (mg/day)20.00 (10.00–40.00)20.00 (10.00–45.00)18.75 (10.00–35.00)0.089
Lupus nephritis573 (56.07)269 (53.16)149 (58.20)0.187
Leucocytopaenia110 (10.76)66 (13.04)32 (12.5)0.832
Neutrocytopaenia20 (1.96)7 (1.38)3 (1.17)1.000
Lymphocytopaenia42 (4.11)23 (4.55)10 (3.91)0.682
Interstitial lung disease80 (7.83)45 (8.89)16 (6.25)0.204
Pulmonary arterial hypertension46 (4.50)26 (5.14)7 (2.73)0.124
NPSLE143 (13.99)70 (13.83)30 (11.72)0.414
Diabetes mellitus41 (4.01)19 (3.75)10 (3.91)0.918
Decreased C3495 (48.43)249 (49.21)118 (46.09)0.416
Decreased C4427 (41.78)186 (36.76)110 (42.97)0.097
Increased anti-dsDNA antibody317 (31.02)149 (29.45)77 (30.08)0.857
SLEDAI6.00 (2.00–10.00)6.00 (2.00–10.00)6.00 (2.00–9.00)0.316
HCQ881 (86.20)450 (88.93)221 (86.33)0.295
Glucocorticoid pulse therapy109 (10.67)52 (10.28)27 (10.55)0.908
Immunosuppressants before IV-CYC
 MMF148 (14.48)80 (15.81)39 (15.23)0.836
 AZA15 (1.47)11 (2.17)2 (0.78)0.269
 CSA23 (2.25)13 (2.57)7 (2.73)0.893
 TAC10 (0.98)9 (1.78)1 (0.39)0.210
 MTX16 (1.57)10 (1.98)4 (1.56)0.908
 LEF50 (4.89)29 (5.73)11 (4.30)0.402
 RTX7 (0.68)4 (0.79)1 (0.39)0.864
  • Data were presented as median (IQR) or count (percentage).

  • AZA, azathioprine; C3, complement 3; C4, complement 4; CSA, ciclosporin; CYC, cyclophosphamide; dsDNA, double-stranded DNA; HCQ, hydroxychloroquine; HD, high dose; IV-CYC, intravenous cyclophosphamide; LEF, leflunomide; MMF, mycophenolate mofetil; MTX, methotrexate; NPSLE, neuropsychiatric SLE; RTX, rituximab; SILD, short interval, lower dose; SLEDAI, Systemic Erythematosus Disease Activity Index; TAC, tacrolimus.