Baseline characteristics of the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics cohort at entry to the study
| Number of patients | 1722 |
| Age, years | 35.0 (S.D. 13.4) |
| Gender | |
| Female | 1536 (89.2) |
| Male | 186 (10.8) |
| Enrolment location | |
| Canada | 398 (23.1) |
| USA | 497 (28.9) |
| Mexico | 212 (12.3) |
| Europe | 446 (25.9) |
| Asia | 169 (9.8) |
| Race/ethnicity | |
| Caucasian | 830 (48.2) |
| Hispanic | 268 (15.6) |
| Asian | 271 (15.7) |
| African origin | 280 (16.3) |
| Other | 71 (4.1) |
| Disease phenotype at baseline | |
| SLEDAI-2K | 5.3 (5.3)* |
| Active renal disease | 467 (27.1) |
| Thrombocytopenia (platelet count <100 000) | 47 (2.7) |
| Medication use | |
| Oral corticosteroids (CS) | 1199 (69.6) |
| Average CS dose (mg/day) | 24.1 (16.7)* |
| Highest CS dose (mg/day) | 43.5 (74.3)* |
| Immunosuppressants | 684 (39.7) |
| Antimalarials | 1153 (67) |
| Co-morbidities | |
| Systolic blood pressure (mm Hg) | 119.5 (16.8)* |
| Diastolic blood pressure (mm Hg) | 75.1 (11.1)* |
| Taking antihypertensives | 505 (29.3) |
| Diabetes mellitus | 60 (3.5) |
| Current smoker | 263 (15.3) |
| Post-menopausal | 162 (9.4) |
| Body mass index (kg/m2) | 25.2 (5.9)* |
| Baseline serology | |
| Anti-dsDNA positive | 663 (38.5) |
| Low C3 and/or C4 complement | 586 (34.0) |
| Anti-B2-GPI positive | 241 (14) |
| Anti-cardiolipin positive | 133 (7.7) |
| Lupus anticoagulant positive | 208 (12.1) |
*All data are n (%) of patients or mean (SD) where indicated.
SLEDAI-2K, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index 2000.