Demographics and baseline characteristics of patients with SLE infected with SARS-CoV-2
| Patients (N=17) | |
| Women | 13 (76) |
| Age, years, median (range) | 53.5 (26.6–69.2) |
| SLE | 16 (94) |
| Lupus-like syndrome* | 1 (6) |
| Antiphospholipid syndrome | 4 (24) |
| Disease duration, years, median (range) | 8.2 (0.8–42.7) |
| SLICC Damage Index | 1 (0–8) |
| Chronic medical illness | |
| Cerebrovascular disease | 3 (18) |
| Coronary heart disease or cardiovascular disease | 2 (12) |
| Diabetes | 0 (0) |
| Body mass index | |
| Normal (18.5–25) | 5 (29) |
| Overweight (25–30) | 2 (12) |
| Obesity (≥30) | 10 (59) |
| Hypertension | 6 (35) |
| Malignant tumour | 1 (6) |
| Nervous system disease | 1 (6) |
| Chronic obstructive lung disease | 2 (12) |
| Chronic kidney disease | 8 (47) |
| Chronic kidney disease staging | |
| Mildly decreased (GFR MDRD 89-60 mL/min/1.73 m2) | 3 (18) |
| Mildly to severely decreased (GFR MDRD 59–30 mL/min/1.73 m2) | 2 (12) |
| Severely decreased (GFR MDRD 29–15 mL/min/1.73 m2) | 0 (0) |
| Kidney failure (GFR MDRD <15 mL/min/1.73 m2) | 3 (18) |
| Smoking habits | |
| Never smoker | 10 (59) |
| Ex-smoker | 5 (29) |
| Daily smoker | 2 (12) |
| History of thrombosis | 6 (35) |
| Arterial thrombosis | 3 (18) |
| Venous thrombosis | 4 (24) |
| Current or history of: | |
| Arthritis | 14 (82) |
| Mucocutaneous involvement | 10 (59) |
| Lupus nephritis | 9 (53) |
| Serositis | 9 (53) |
| Cytopaenia | 6 (35) |
| Neuropsychiatric lupus | 4 (24) |
| Treatment regimen | |
| HCQ 200 mg/day | 4 (24) |
| HCQ 400 mg/day | 11 (65) |
| HCQ >400 mg/day | 2 (12) |
| Duration of HCQ treatment, years, median (range) | 7.5 (0.5–29.8) |
| Prednisone use | 12 (71) |
| Prednisone ≥10 mg per day | 2 (12) |
| Immunosuppressive agent use† | 7 (41) |
| ACE inhibitors and/or ARBs | 6 (35) |
| Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs | 0 (0) |
| Oral anticoagulant‡ | 5 (29) |
| SLE activity | |
| Clinical manifestation of SLE | 1 (6) |
| Positive anti-dsDNA test | 6 (35) |
| Low C3 | 2 (12) |
Values are expressed as n (%), unless stated otherwise.
*Patients who fulfilled only 2–3 1997 American College of Rheumatology criteria for SLE were classified as antiphospholipid syndrome (APLS) associated with lupus-like syndrome.
†Excluding antimalarials and prednisone. Immunosuppressant therapy was mycophenolate mofetil for five patients and methotrexate for two.
‡Oral anticoagulant was warfarin for three patients, fluindione for one and rivaroxaban for one.
ACE, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor; ARB, angiotensin II receptor blockers; dsDNA, double-stranded DNA antibodies; GFR, glomerular filtration rate; HCQ, hydroxychloroquine; MDRD, Modification of Diet in Renal Disease; SARS-CoV-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; SLE, systemic lupus erythematosus; SLICC Damage Index, Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index.