Table 1 Clinical characteristics and treatment in patients with SLE flare or sustained remission of SLE
|  | SLE flare group (n = 121 Case) | comparison group (n = 98 Case) | P-value |
|---|---|---|---|
Age (Year), mean (SD) | 39.9(13.1) | 42.7(13.8) | 0.431 |
Gender (female/male) | 113/8 | 84/14 | 0.072 |
Disease duration (Month), mean (SD) | 93.2(80.1) | 78.6(44.9) | < 0.001* |
Infection | 54(44.6) | 2(2.4) | < 0.001* |
Flare degree | |||
 Mild and moderate SLE flare, n (%) | 28 (23.1) |  |  |
 Severe SLE flare, n (%) | 93 (76.9) |  |  |
Initial symptom, n (%) | |||
 Fever | 36(29.8) | 32(32.7) | 0.662 |
 Rash | 68(56.2) | 63(64.3) | 0.268 |
 Arthritis | 67(55.4) | 42(42.9) | 0.078 |
 oral ulcer | 26(21.5) | 21(21.4) | 1.000 |
 Hair loss | 23(19.0) | 14(14.3) | 0.372 |
 Serositis | 24(19.8) | 21(21.4) | 0.867 |
 Leucopenia a | 18(14.9) | 14(14.3) | 1.000 |
 Thrombocytopenia b | 19(15.7) | 7(7.1) | 0.060 |
 Lupus nephritis | 31(25.6) | 28(28.6) | 0.648 |
 Neuropsychiatric lupus | 8(6.6) | 7(7.1) | 1.000 |
 Lupus pneumonia | 3(2.5) | 0 | 0.255 |
 Lupus related cardiac damage | 0 | 1(1.0) | 0.447 |
 Lupus related gastrointestinal damage | 3(2.5) | 0 | 0.255 |
 Antiphospholipid syndrome | 6(5.0) | 0 | 0.034* |
 SLEDAI-2 k (score), mean (SD) | 11.6(4.1) | 10.4(4.2) | 0.800 |
Initial serological indicators | |||
 ANA (s/co), mean (SD) | 4.6(2.7) | 4.7(3.1) | 0.336 |
 ds-DNA (IU/ml), mean (SD) | 490.8(260.1) | 545.4(244.0) | 0.919 |
 Anti-RNP, n (%) | 55(45.4) | 42(42.9) | 0.785 |
 Anti-SM, n (%) | 35(28.9) | 14(14.3) | 0.014* |
 Anti-SSA, n (%) | 82(67.8) | 56(57.1) | 0.122 |
 Anti-SSB, n (%) | 27(22.3) | 21(21.4) | 1.000 |
 Anti-nu, n (%) | 46(38.0) | 14(14.3) | < 0.001* |
 Anti-rRNP, n (%) | 38(29.0) | 21(21.4) | 0.125 |
 aCL-IgM, n (%) | 4(3.3) | 7(7.1) | 0.226 |
 aCL-IgG, n (%) | 6(5.0) | 0 | 0.034* |
 Anti-β2GPI-IgG, n (%) | 20(16.5) | 7(7.1) | 0.040* |
 LA (n, %) | 13(10.7) | 0 | < 0.001* |
Initial treatment | |||
 The median time of achieving the clinical remission (Month), mean (SD) | 3.17 ± 0.70 | 3.05 ± 0.65 | 0.661 |
 SLE patients with Complete remission, n (%) | 5(4.1) | 7(7.1) | 0.380 |
 Glucocorticoid amount (mg/kg/d), mean (SD) | 0.9(0.9) | 0.9(0.4) | 0.323 |
 initial glucocorticoid amount > 0.8 mg/kg/d, n (%) | 23(19.0) | 21(21.4) | 0.735 |
 Glucocorticoid cumulative at the time of achieving clinical remission (mg), mean (SD) | 1780.8 ± 1016.1 | 1808.0 ± 1049.3 | 0.416 |
 Hydroxychloroquine, n (%) | 98(81.0) | 91(92.9) | 0.017* |
 Immunosuppressive agent treatment, n (%) | 49(40.5) | 70(57.9) | < 0.001* |
  CTX | 13 (10.7) | 21(21.4) | 0.837 |
  MMF | 9 (7.4) | 7(7.1) | 0.275 |
  AZA | 10 (8.3) | 17(17.3) | 0.663 |
  MTX | 11 (9.1) | 13(13.3) | 0.647 |
  FK-506 | 2 (1.7) | 8(8.2) | 0.194 |
  CsA | 4 (3.3) | 4(4.1) | 0.716 |
Treatment during follow-up | |||
 patient’s self-discontinuation of medicine maintenance therapy, n (%) | 65(53.7) | 7(7.1) | < 0.001* |
 Regular maintenance therapy before SLE flare | 56(46.3) | 91(93.8) | < 0.001* |
  Prednisone(≤5 mg/d) | 8(6.6) | 24(24.5) | / |
  Prednisone(≤5 mg/d) + HCQ | 20(16.5) | 32(32.7) | / |
  Prednisone(≤5 mg/d) + HCQ + MMF | 6(5.0) | 7(7.1) | / |
  Prednisone(≤5 mg/d) + HCQ + AZA | 9(7.4) | 11(11.2) | / |
  Prednisone(≤5 mg/d) + HCQ + MTX | 10(8.3) | 11(11.2) | / |
  Prednisone(≤5 mg/d) + HCQ + CsA | 2(1.7) | 3(3.0) | / |
  Prednisone(≤5 mg/d)HCQ + FK-506 | 1(0.8) | 3(3.0) | / |