Clinical characteristics and risk factors of infections in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Risk stratification for infection during immunosuppressive therapy in patients with lupus nephritis: A nested case-control study

BACKGROUND

The current prediction models for the risk of infection during immunosuppressive treatment for lupus nephritis (LN) lack a prediction time window and have poor pertinence. This study aimed to develop a risk stratification to predict infection during immunosuppressive therapy in patients with LN.

METHODS

This retrospective nested case-control study collected patients with LN treated with immunosuppressive therapy between 2014 and 2022 in the Nephrology ward in Huashan Hospital affiliated to Fudan University and Huashan Hospital Baoshan Branch. Cases were defined as patients who experienced infection during the follow-up period; patients were eligible as controls if they did not have infection during the follow-up period.

RESULTS

There were 53 patients with infection by CTCAE V5.0 grade ≥2. According to the 1:3 nested matching, the 53 patients with infection were matched with 159 controls. In the multivariable logistic regression model, the change rate of fibrinogen (OR = 0.97, 95% CI: 0.94-0.99, p = 0.008), leukopenia (OR = 8.68, 95% CI: 1.16-301.72, p = 0.039), and reduced albumin (OR = 6.25, 95% CI: 1.38-28.24, p = 0.017) were independently associated with infection. The AUC of the ROC curve in the validation set of the multivariable logistic regression model in the internal random sampling was 0.864. The scores range from -2 to 10. The infection risk stratification ranges from 2.8% at score -2 to 97.5% at score 10.

CONCLUSION

A risk stratification was built to predict the risk of infection in patients with LN undergoing immunosuppressive therapy.

Risk factors for hospitalization in Mexican patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

INTRODUCTION

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease that often requires hospitalization. Most hospitalizations are due to infections and/or disease activity, for which several risk factors have been described in non-Mestizo patients.

OBJECTIVE

To identify risk factors for hospitalization in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

METHODS

This was an observational case-control study of patients with SLE in San Luis Potosí, Mexico, evaluated from January 2019 to October 2020. We compared hospitalized lupus patients with non-hospitalized lupus patients. We used descriptive statistics and logistic regression to describe potential risk factors.

RESULTS

Of a total of 202 patients, 89 (45.1%) were hospitalized; these patients were younger, had shorter disease duration, higher disease activity scores (systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity index-SLEDAI), and more accumulated damage than non-hospitalized patients. The primary reasons for hospitalization were disease activity (60.7%), kidney disease, infection, and drug toxicity (5.6%). Multivariate analysis revealed several risk factors associated with hospitalization, including elevated creatinine, C-reactive protein, neutrophil levels, and constitutional symptoms, while prolonged international normalized ratio (INR), longer stay in the intensive care unit (ICU), and vasopressor use were associated with mortality. The use of antimalarials was a protective factor against hospitalization. Survival analysis revealed that patients with hospital-acquired infections had a lower probability of survival.

CONCLUSIONS

Disease activity was the most common reason for hospitalization; kidney, constitutional, and hematological factors were associated with hospitalization; and the use of antimalarial was a protective factor for hospitalization.

Association Between Mycophenolate Mofetil Use and Subsequent Infections Among Hospitalized Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Nested Case-Control Study

INTRODUCTION

The association between mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and infection in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has not been clarified. This study evaluated the degree and factors in effect of MMF use on infection in patients with SLE.

METHODS

A hospitalized-based observational study was conducted to collect medical records on patients with SLE during 2010-2021. A nested case-control study was performed among 3339 patients with SLE, including 1577 cases and 1762 controls by whether they developed any type of infection. The exposure of MMF use was determined within 1 year before diagnosed infection or the end of follow-up. Logistic regression was used to estimate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for association between MMF and subsequent infection.

RESULTS

MMF was significantly associated with the risk of overall infection (adjusted OR 1.90, 95% CI 1.48-2.44) and different types of infections, including bacterial infection (adjusted OR 2.07, 95% CI 1.55-2.75), viral infection (adjusted OR 1.92, 95% CI 1.23-3.01), and opportunistic infection (adjusted OR 2.13, 95% CI 1.31-3.46). The top three risks of specific types of infections were bacteremia/septicemia, urinary tract infection/pyelonephritis, and herpes zoster. Stratification analysis showed risk of overall infection increased especially in MMF users with age over 55 years, diabetes, central nervous system involvement, and thrombocytopenia. Moreover, the risk of infection increased with increasing dosage and duration of MMF use. Additionally, the combination of MMF with CYC and other immunosuppressants significantly increases the risk of infections compared to using a single one.

CONCLUSIONS

MMF use is associated with various type of infections in patients with SLE, particularly in those with longer use, older age, complications with comorbidities, and concomitant use of CYC or other immunosuppressants.

T lymphocyte subsets and immunoglobulin and complement levels are associated with the infection status of patients with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis

BACKGROUND

Infection is the leading cause of death in patients with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis (AAV). The aim of this study was to characterize the immunological features of infectious events occurring in patients with newly diagnosed AAV and to identify possible risk factors associated with infection.

METHODS

The T lymphocyte subsets, immunoglobulin, and complement levels of the groups were compared between infected group and the noninfected group. Further, regression analysis was conducted to determine the association of each variable with the risk of infection.

RESULTS

280 patients with newly diagnosed AAV were enrolled. The average levels of CD3+ T cells (720.0 vs. 920.5, P < 0.001), CD3+CD4+ T cells (392.0 vs. 547.0, P < 0.001), and CD3+CD8+ T cells (248.0 vs. 335.0, P = 0.001), serum IgG (11.66 g/L vs. 13.59 g/L, P = 0.002), IgA (1.70 g/L vs. 2.44 g/L, P < 0.001), C3 (1.03 g/L vs. 1.09 g/L, P = 0.015), and C4 (0.24 g/L vs. 0.27 g/L, P < 0.001) were significantly lower in the infected group than in the noninfected group. The levels of CD3+CD4+ T cells (adjusted OR 0.997, P = 0.018), IgG (adjusted OR 0.804, P = 0.004), and C4 (adjusted OR 0.001, P = 0.013) were found independently associated with infection.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients of infected AAV and those without infection differ in T lymphocyte subsets and immunoglobulin and complement levels. Furthermore, CD3+CD4+ T cells counts and serum IgG and C4 levels were independent risk factors with infection in patients with newly diagnosed AAV.

Dysregulation of immunity in COVID-19 and SLE

The immune response plays a crucial role in preventing diseases, such as infections. There are two types of immune responses, specific and innate immunity, each of which consists of two components: cellular immunity and humoral immunity. Dysfunction in any immune system component increases the risk of developing certain diseases. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), an autoimmune disease in the human body, develops an immune response against its own components. In these patients, due to underlying immune system disorders and receipt of immunosuppressive drugs, the susceptibility to infections is higher than in the general population and is the single largest cause of mortality in this group. COVID-19 infection, which first appeared in late 2019, has caused several concerns in patients with SLE. However, there is no strong proof of additional risk of developing COVID-19 in patients with SLE, and in some cases, studies have shown less severity of the disease in these individuals. This review paper discusses the immune disorders in SLE and COVID-19.

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 Infection and Autoimmunity 1 Year Later: The Era of Vaccines

Impressive efforts have been made by researchers worldwide in the development of target vaccines against the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) and in improving the management of immunomodulating agents. Currently, different vaccine formulations, such as viral vector, mRNA, and protein-based, almost all directed toward the spike protein that includes the domain for receptor binding, have been approved. Although data are not conclusive, patients affected by autoimmune rheumatic diseases (ARDs) seem to have a slightly higher disease prevalence, risk of hospitalization, and death from coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) than the general population. Therefore, ARD patients, under immunosuppressive agents, have been included among the priority target groups for vaccine administration. However, specific cautions are needed to optimize vaccine safety and effectiveness in these patients, such as modification in some of the ongoing immunosuppressive therapies and the preferential use of mRNA other than vector-based vaccines. Immunomodulating agents can be a therapeutic opportunity for the management of COVID-19 patients; however, their clinical impact depends on how they are handled. To place in therapy immunomodulating agents in the correct window of opportunity throughout the identification of surrogate markers of disease progression and host immune response is mandatory to optimize patient's outcome.

A Review of Anti-C Reactive Protein Antibodies in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the prototype autoimmune disease, is characterized by the production of a plethora of autoantibodies with various roles in the development of disease-related tissue damage. C-reactive protein (CRP) is an acute phase reactant with a pentameric structure. Under acidic or alkaline conditions, or when urea levels are high and/or calcium levels are low, the pentamer (pCRP) dissociates irreversibly into monomeric CRP (mCRP) and exposes new epitopes (neo-CRP). Importantly, anti-mCRP (but not anti-pCRP) antibodies have been described in patients with SLE, their prevalence varying from 4% to 78% in different cohorts. Numerous studies have investigated the relationship between autoantibodies directed against CRP (anti-CRP) and disease activity as well as their association with lupus nephritis (LN), frequently reporting discrepant findings. The main objective of the present review is to describe the role of anti-mCRP antibodies in SLE according to the currently available data.

Prevalence of periapical abscesses in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

AIMS

To assess the prevalence of periapical abscesses in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and to evaluate the effect of glucocorticoids (GCs) used to treat SLE, on the prevalence of such lesions.

METHODS

Integrated data of hospital patients was used. Data from the corresponding diagnosis codes for SLE and periapical abscess was retrieved by searching the appropriate query in the database. The odd ratio (OR) of periapical abscesses and its association with SLE and intake of GCs were calculated and analyzed statistically.

RESULTS

The prevalence of periapical abscesses in patients treated with GCs was 1.5% compared to 0.39% in patients who were not treated with GCs. The OR for periapical abscesses in patients treated with GCs was 2.53 compared with OR of 0.66 in patients not treated with GCs. The differences were statistically significant (p < .0001). The prevalence of periapical abscesses in patients with SLE was 1.88%. The OR was 3.18 and the difference statistically significant (p < .0001).

CONCLUSIONS

Under the conditions of this study, it appears that the prevalence of periapical abscesses is higher in patients with SLE. Patients receiving GCs therapy, either for SLE or for other conditions, may present higher prevalence of periapical abscesses.

Rapid and precise diagnosis of pneumonia coinfected by Pneumocystis jirovecii and Aspergillus fumigatus assisted by next-generation sequencing in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus: a case report

Background

Pneumocystis jirovecii and Aspergillus fumigatus, are opportunistic pathogenic fungus that has a major impact on mortality in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. With the potential to invade multiple organs, early and accurate diagnosis is essential to the survival of SLE patients, establishing an early diagnosis of the infection, especially coinfection by Pneumocystis jirovecii and Aspergillus fumigatus, still remains a great challenge.

Case presentation

In this case, we reported that the application of next -generation sequencing in diagnosing Pneumocystis jirovecii and Aspergillus fumigatus coinfection in a Chinese girl with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Voriconazole was used to treat pulmonary aspergillosis, besides sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim (SMZ-TMP), and caspofungin acetate to treat Pneumocystis jirovecii infection for 6 days. On Day 10 of admission, her chest radiograph displayed obvious absorption of bilateral lung inflammation though the circumstance of repeated fever had not improved. Unfortunately, the patient discharged from the hospital since the financial burden, and during the follow-up, it was documented the patient died within one week after discharge.

Conclusions

This successful application of the next generation sequencing assisting the rapid diagnosis of Pneumocystis jirovecii and Aspergillus fumigatus coinfection provides a new perspective in the clinical approach against the systematic fungi infections and highlights the potential of this technique in rapid etiological diagnosis.

Infection-related hospitalization after intensive immunosuppressive therapy among lupus nephritis and ANCA glomerulonephritis patients

Introduction: This study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics, risk factors, and outcomes of infection-related hospitalization (IRH) in patients with lupus nephritis (LN) and ANCA glomerulonephritis after intensive immunosuppressive therapy.Methods: Patients diagnosed with LN or ANCA glomerulonephritis who received intensive immunosuppressive therapy at the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from 2005 to 2014 were enrolled. Demographics, laboratory parameters, immunosuppressive agents, and IRH details were collected. Multivariable Cox regression was used, and hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were reported.Results: Totally, 872 patients with 806 LN and 66 ANCA glomerulonephritis were enrolled, and 304 (34.9%) patients with 433 episodes of IRH were recorded. ANCA glomerulonephritis patients were more vulnerable to IRH than LN patients (53.0% vs. 33.4%, p = .001). Multivariable Cox regression analysis showed that ANCA glomerulonephritis (HR = 1.62, 95% CI: 1.06-2.49, p = .027), diabetes (HR = 1.82, 95% CI: 1.03-3.22, p = .039) and a higher initial dose of prednisone (HR = 1.01, 95% CI: 1.00-1.02, p = .013) were associated with a higher likelihood of IRH. Higher albumin (HR = 0.96, 95% CI: 0.94-0.98, p < .001), globulin (HR = 0.98, 95% CI: 0.96-0.99, p = .008), and eGFR (HR = 0.99, 95% CI: 0.99-1.00, p < .001), were associated with a lower likelihood of IRH. The rates of transfer to ICU and mortality for ANCA glomerulonephritis patients were higher than those for LN patients (22.9% vs. 1.9%, p < .001, and 20.0% vs. 0.7%, p < .001, respectively).Conclusions: ANCA glomerulonephritis patients had a higher risk of IRH and poorer outcome once infected after intensive immunosuppressive therapy than LN patients. More strict control for infection risks is required for ANCA glomerulonephritis patients who undergo intensive immunosuppressive therapy.

Laboratory-confirmed bloodstream infection in systemic lupus erythematosus: Risk profiling and short-term mortality

OBJECTIVES

To delineate laboratory-confirmed bloodstream infection (LCBI), analyze risk factors for its occurrence and predictors for its short-term mortality in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients.Methods A single center, retrospective, case-controlled study was performed in 159 SLE patients (2013-2019) to identify risk factors of LCBI by comparing patients with LCBI (n = 39) to those without infection (n = 120). The predictors associated with 30-day mortality in LCBI patients were also analyzed.

RESULTS

Altogether 40 bacteria strains were isolated in 39 LCBI patients with a predominance of the gram-negative bacilli (24 strains, 60.0%). Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were the leading Gram-negative and Gram-positive microorganisms, respectively. Occurrence of LCBI was independently predicted by: SLE disease duration >4 years, SLEDAI score >4 points, glucocorticoids dose >7.5 mg/d and the previous or concomitant occurrence of autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) or thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA). Based on the identified risk factors, we developed a matrix model for the risk of future LCBI. The 30-day mortality (39 cases) was 23.1% and healthcare-associated LCBI was a predictor for 30-day mortality in SLE patients compared with community-acquired LCBI.

CONCLUSION

Longer duration, higher disease activity and glucocorticoids dose, and occurrence of AIHA or TMA were risk factors of LCBI in SLE and its poor short-term prognosis may attribute to healthcare-associated LCBI.

Clinical characteristics and risk factors of infection in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies

OBJECTIVE

Infection is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the clinical characteristics and risk factors of infection in SLE by comparing demographic factors, laboratory data, clinical features, and therapeutic factors between infection and non-infection SLE patients.

METHODS

PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases were searched systematically without restricting the language or year (up to September 2019) by using MeSH terms and keywords pertaining to SLE and infection. Three independent reviewers selected all observational studies based on the established inclusion criteria. Odds ratio (OR) and standardized mean difference (SMD) along with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used and the analyses were carried out by using a random/fixed-effects model. When necessary, different subgroup and sensitivity analyses were conducted. Study quality was assessed by the modified version (nine-star scoring system) of the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) and publication bias was evaluated by funnel plots, and Egger's and Begg's tests.

RESULTS

In total, we included 39 studies (3709 infection SLE patients and 10526 non-infection SLE patients) based on the inclusion criteria. Compared with the SLE patients without infection, we found that infected SLE patients had a significantly higher incidence rate of the following: 1) lymphopenia (OR = 2.738 95%CI (1.017-7.376), P = 0.046, I² = 81.4%), 2) thrombocytopenia (OR = 1.61 95%CI (1.4-1.85), P<0.001, I² = 0%), 3) anemia (OR = 2.294 95%CI (1.402-3.755), P = 0.001, I² = 83.0%), 4) hypoproteinemia (OR = 2.336 95%CI (1.408-3.876), P = 0.001, I² = 84.2%), 5) C3 consumed (OR = 1.890 95%CI (1.190-3.002), P = 0.007, I² = 77.4%), 6) diabetes mellitus (OR = 3.890 95%CI (2.450-6.160), P < 0.001, I² = 0%), 7) elevated creatinine (OR = 1.954 95%CI (1.646-2.320), P < 0.001, I² = 0.0%), 8) renal involvement (OR = 2.692 95%CI (2.000-3.623), P < 0.001, I² = 76.0%), 9) serositis (OR = 3.877 95%CI (0.995-15.110), P = 0.051, I² = 79.1%), and 10) use of steroid immunosuppressants (OR = 3.116 95%CI (1.959-4.957), P < 0.001, I² = 77.9%). Furthermore, infected SLE patients had a significantly higher mean dose of prednisone (SMD = 2.088 95%CI (1.196-2.981), P < 0.001, I² = 97.8%). In addition, SLE patients with infection showed a significantly lower incidence of antimalarial drug use (OR = 0.634 95%CI (0.451-0.892), P = 0.009, I² = 56.0%). Infected SLE patients had a significantly higher level of 1) 24-h urinary protein (SMD = 0.560 95%CI (0.300-0.810), P < 0.001, I² = 0%), 2) CRP (SMD = 0.437 95%CI (0.184-0.691), P = 0.001, I² = 68.6%), and 3) SLE Collaborating Clinics damage index (SDI) (SMD = 0.451 95%CI (0.238-0.664), P < 0.001, I² = 0.0%), along with a significantly lower level of albumin (SMD = -0.400 95%CI (-0.610--0.200), P < 0.001, I² = 0.0%). After adjustment for false discovery rate (FDR), lymphopenia and serositis were no longer associated with the occurrence of infection; however, the remaining factors were still associated with infection in SLE. According to the nine-star scoring system of NOS, 71.79% of the studies were considered as high methodological quality (low risk of bias). No significant publication bias, except for renal involvement, was detected from funnel plots or Egger's and Begg's test, while this publication bias of renal involvement did not impact the pooled estimates.

CONCLUSION

We identified many factors including thrombocytopenia, anemia, hypoproteinemia, hypocomplementemia, hypoalbuminemia, higher level of CRP, higher SDI score, renal involvement and diabetes mellitus that were associated with infection in SLE patients. In addition, glucocorticoids (especially high-dose) and immunosuppressants (e.g. cyclophosphamide) rendered SLE patients more susceptible to infection, while antimalarial drug administration (hydroxychloroquine) was a protective factor against infection in SLE patients. SLE patients with the above clinical characteristics and risk factors might be at high risk from infection, which might contribute to the early identification of infection in SLE patients for better prognosis.

Platelet distribution width as a marker for predicting lupus nephritis

BACKGROUND

Lupus nephritis (LN) is an important manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The aim of this study was to investigate the predictive value of platelet distribution width (PDW) in LN.

METHODS

A retrospective study involving 212 SLE patients and 201 healthy controls were performed. All clinical characteristics and laboratory data were collected from their medical records.

RESULTS

The level of PDW was significantly decreased in SLE patients, which was negatively correlated with SLE disease activity index 2000 (SLEDAI-2K) score, disease duration, and 24-hour (24-h) urine protein, while positively correlated with serum IgG and IgM. There were more LN patients in low-PDW group than normal-PDW and high-PDW groups. In low-PDW group, SLEDAI-2K score, 24-h urine protein level, and anti-dsDNA antibody level was significantly higher, while serum IgG level was markedly lower. Moreover, PDW was negatively correlated with 24-h urine protein and disease duration, and it was positively correlated with serum IgG in LN patients. In addition, the area under the ROC curve of PDW was 0.87 and the optimal clinical cutoff level was 12.9, which provided a 87.41% sensitivity and a 74.63% specificity. Decreased PDW combined with high 24-h urine protein exhibited an excellent diagnostic value for LN. Importantly, 16.67% LN patients with negative 24-h urine protein can be detected in low PDW group.

CONCLUSION

PDW may be a potential marker for predicting LN. Low PDW accompanied with high 24-h urine protein may be a useful indicator for diagnosing LN.

Risk factors of infection-associated mortality in children with lupus nephritis in under-resourced areas

INTRODUCTION

Treatment of lupus nephritis class III, IV and V with immunosuppressive therapy increases patient survival but poses a risk of infection-related mortality. This study was conducted to evaluate risk factors for fatal infection in children with lupus nephritis in under-resourced areas.

METHODS

Medical records of patients, who were admitted to a tertiary-care university-based hospital from January 2002 to July 2018 with the diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus, were reviewed. Only patients aged less than 18 years with lupus nephritis and documented infection were included in the study. The primary outcome was infection-associated mortality. The logistic regression model was used to identify independent variables associated with fatal infection. Predicted probabilities of infection-related mortality adjusted for factors significant in multivariate analysis were calculated using marginal effects at representative values.

RESULTS

Infection-related deaths occurred in 27 of 179 patients (15.1%). Hospital-acquired infections occurred in 72 of 375 episodes of hospital admissions (19.2%) and 13 hospital-acquired infections (18.1%) resulted in fatal infection. Invasive fungal infections were the leading cause of death (44.4%) and pulmonary infections were the predominant site (55.5%). Haemoglobin levels and glomerular filtration rates were significantly lower in deceased versus surviving patients. Percentages of patients with hospital-acquired infections, invasive fungal infections and pulmonary infections were significantly higher in deceased than surviving patients. Urine protein, the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, cumulative methylprednisolone dose and daily prednisolone dose were significantly higher in deceased than surviving patients. In multivariate analysis, a neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio more than 20, invasive fungal infections and high daily prednisolone dose were independently predictive of fatal infection with adjusted odds ratio of 3.02 (95% confidence interval 1.02-8.97, p = 0.04), 15.08 (95% confidence interval 4.72-48.24, p < 0.001) and 1.03 (95% confidence interval 1.01-1.06, p = 0.04), respectively. A high daily prednisolone dose intensified the impact of invasive fungal infections and high neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio on predicted probability of infection-associated mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

Prevention of invasive fungal infections and minimization of daily prednisolone should be emphasized in routine clinical practice of children with lupus nephritis in under-resourced areas to achieve better survival. Children with lupus nephritis and a high neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio should be under cautious surveillance for infection.

The majority of Swedish systemic lupus erythematosus patients are still affected by irreversible organ impairment: factors related to damage accrual in two regional cohorts

Background

Although the survival of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has improved, irreversible organ damage remains a critical concern. We aimed to characterize damage accrual and its clinical associations and causes of death in Swedish patients.

Methods

Accumulation of damage was evaluated in 543 consecutively recruited and well-characterized cases during 1998−2017. The Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC)/American College of Rheumatology damage index (SDI) was used to estimate damage.

Results

Organ damage (SDI ≥ 1) was observed in 59%, and extensive damage (SDI ≥ 3) in 25% of cases. SDI ≥ 1 was significantly associated with higher age at onset, SLE duration, the number of fulfilled SLICC criteria, neurologic disorder, antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS), hypertension, hyperlipidemia, depression and secondary Sjögren's syndrome (SS). In addition, SDI ≥ 3 was associated with serositis, renal and haematological disorders and interstitial lung disease. A multiple regression model identified not only well-known risk factors like APS, antihypertensives and corticosteroids, but pericarditis, haemolytic anaemia, lymphopenia and myositis as being linked to SDI. Malignancy, infection and cardiovascular disease were the leading causes of death.

Conclusions

After a mean SLE duration of 17 years, the majority of today's Swedish SLE patients have accrued damage. We confirm previous observations and report some novel findings regarding disease phenotypes and damage accrual.

Associated clinical factors for serious infections in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Infection occurs frequently in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and has been a major cause of morbidity and mortality. However, no large-scale comprehensive studies have estimated the effect of clinical characteristics on serious infection in actual clinical practice yet. We investigated the influence of clinical characteristics on serious infections using electronic medical records data. We conducted a nested case-control study. Patients with SLE who developed serious infection which needs hospitalization or intravenous antibiotics (n = 120) were matched to controls (n = 240) who didn't. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for infection associated with clinical features were obtained by conditional logistic regression analyses. The conditional logistic regression analysis with adjustment showed that serositis (OR, 2.76; 95% CI, 1.33-5.74), hematologic involvement (OR, 2.53; 95% CI, 1.32-4.87), and use of higher than the low dose of glucocorticoids (GCs; >7.5 mg/d prednisolone-equivalent) (OR, 2.65; 95% CI, 1.31-5.34) were related to serious infections in SLE. Serositis, hematologic involvement, and use of higher than the low dose of GCs were associated with serious infections in patients with SLE.