Characteristics of patients with or without two consecutive years of LLDAS
| LLDAS <2 years (71 pts) | LLDAS ≥2 years (222 pts) | OR | 95% CI | p | |
| Gender (female), n (%) | 58 (81.7) | 194 (87.8) | n.s. | ||
| Age at recruitment, mean±SD years | 38.7±13.41 | 40.6±12.2 | n.s. | ||
| SLE duration at recruitment, mean±SD years | 10.6±7.1 | 11.5±6.1 | n.s. | ||
| Low C3 or C4 serum levels, n (%) | 62 (87.3) | 194 (88.2) | n.s. | ||
| Anti-dsDNA Ab, n (%) | 63 (88.7) | 182 (82.4) | n.s. | ||
| ANA, (%) | 71 (100) | 222 (100) | n.s. | ||
| Anti-SSA/SSB Ab, n (%) | 29 (40.8) | 85 (38.5) | n.s. | ||
| Anti-U1RNP Ab, n (%) | 27 (38.0) | 54 (24.4) | 1.556 | 1.068 to 2.268 | 0.026 |
| Antiphospholipid Ab, n (%) | 25 (35.2) | 71 (32.1) | n.s. | ||
| Lupus manifestation at baseline | |||||
| SLEDAI-2K, mean±SD | 6.52±4.55 | 3.94±3.99 | 2.686 | 1.563 to 3.808 | 0.001 |
| PGA>, n (%) | 47 (66.2) | 25 (11.3) | 5.854 | 3.904 to 8.772 | <0.001 |
| Skin rashes, n (%) | 23 (32.4) | 22 (10.0) | 3.254 | 1.935 to 5.472 | <0.001 |
| Arthritis, n (%) | 13 (18.3) | 17 (7.7) | 2.380 | 1.217 to 4.655 | 0.010 |
| Serositis, n (%) | 0 (0) | 4 (1.8) | n.s. | ||
| Glomerulonephritis, n (%) | 13 (18.3) | 46 (20.8) | n.s. | ||
| NP manifestations, n (%) | 1 (1.4) | 1 (0.5) | n.s. | ||
| Vasculitis, n (%) | 4 (5.6) | 6 (2.7) | n.s. | ||
| Haematological involvement, n (%) | 8 (11.3) | 13 (5.9) | n.s. | ||
| Lupus therapy at baseline | n.s. | ||||
| Mycophenolate, n (%) | 12 (17.4) | 45 (20.5) | n.s. | ||
| Azathioprine, n (%) | 13 (18.3) | 30 (13.7) | n.s. | ||
| Ciclosporin A, n (%) | 4 (5.8) | 2 (0.9) | 6.348 | 1.188 to 33.913 | 0.013 |
| Methotrexate, n (%) | 7 (10.1) | 7 (3.2) | 3.174 | 1.154 to 8.733 | 0.019 |
| Antimalarials, n (%) | 48 (69.6) | 164 (74.9) | n.s. | ||
| Cyclophosphamide, n (%) | 0 (0) | 4 (1.8) | n.s. | ||
| Rituximab, n (%) | 1 (1.4) | 2 (0.9) | n.s. | ||
| Prednisone dose, mean±SD, mg | 9.24±11.3 | 5.49±7.8 | 3.746 | 1.380 to 6.128 | 0.002 |
| Cumulative average prednisone dose ≥180 mg/month | 38 (53.5) | 40 (18.1) | 2.957 | 2.075 to 4.215 | <0.001 |
| Lupus manifestations (ever) | |||||
| Skin rashes, n (%) | 50 (70.4) | 128 (58.2) | n.s. | ||
| Arthritis, n (%) | 61 (85.9) | 157 (71.4) | 1.204 | 1.061 to 1.366 | 0.018 |
| Serositis, n (%) | 25 (35.2) | 51 (23.2) | 1.519 | 1.021 to 2.259 | 0.045 |
| Glomerulonephritis, n (%) | 44 (62.0) | 124 (56.4) | n.s. | ||
| NP manifestations, n (%) | 12 (16.9) | 27 (12.3) | n.s. | ||
| Vasculitis, n (%) | 13 (18.3) | 21 (9.5) | 1.918 | 1.014 to 3.630 | 0.046 |
| Haematological involvement, n (%) | 31 (43.7) | 80 (36.0) | n.s. | ||
| Antiphospholipid Ab syndrome, n (%) | 11 (15.5) | 29 (13.1) | n.s. | ||
| Lupus therapy (ever) | |||||
| Methylprednisolone, intravenous, n (%) | 45 (63.4) | 124 (56.1) | n.s. | ||
| Mycophenolate, n (%) | 39 (54.9) | 88 (39.8) | 1.379 | 1.057 to 1.800 | 0.025 |
| Azathioprine, n (%) | 32 (45.1) | 65 (29.4) | 1.532 | 1.104 to 2.127 | 0.025 |
| Ciclosporin A, n (%) | 18 (25.4) | 36 (16.3) | n.s. | ||
| Methotrexate, n (%) | 25 (35.2) | 22 (10.0) | 3.537 | 2.131 to 5.871 | <0.001 |
| Antimalarials, n (%) | 65 (90.1) | 201 (91.0) | n.s. | ||
| Cyclophosphamide, n (%) | 26 (36.6) | 55 (24.9) | 1.471 | 1.004 to 2.156 | 0.050 |
| Rituximab, n (%) | 14 (19.7) | 8 (3.6) | 5.447 | 2.384 to 12.448 | <0.001 |
| Belimumab, n (%) | 5 (7.4) | 25 (11.2) | n.s. | ||
| Intravenous immunoglobulins, n (%) | 7 (9.9) | 5 (2.3) | 4.358 | 1.427 to 13.303 | 0.005 |
For significant variables, OR and 95% CI are reported.
Ab, antibodies; ANA, antinuclear antibodies; anti-dsDNA, antidouble-stranded DNA; C3/C4, complement fractions; LLDAS, lupus low disease activity state; NP, neuropsychiatric; n.s., not significant; pts, patients; SLE, systemic lupus erythematosus; SLEDAI-2K, SLE Disease Activity Index 2000.