Baseline characteristics of the full cohort (n = 181) and those with a matched followup Medical Outcomes Study SF-36 available (n = 113).
| Characteristic | Cross-section | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Baseline), n = 181 | 2 (5-year), n = 113 | |
| Age, yrs, mean (SD) | 47.6 (9.8) | 48.6 (9.3) |
| Disease duration, yrs, mean (SD) | 11.4 (9.2) | 12.6 (9.7) |
| Smoking status (%) | ||
| Never | 93 (51) | 63 (56) |
| Ex-smoker | 51 (28) | 35 (31) |
| Current | 37 (20) | 15 (13) |
| Marital status (%) | ||
| Single | 46 (25) | 28 (25) |
| Married/cohabiting | 135 (75) | 85 (75) |
| In current employment (%) | 95 (52) | 64 (57) |
| Educated to university or college level (%) | 77 (43) | 47 (42) |
| Time in formal education, yrs, mean (SD) | 12.8 (2.5) | 12.9 (2.5) |
| Ovarian function, currently menstruating (%) | 85 (47) | 45 (40) |
| SLEDAI score, median (IQR) | 1 (0, 4) | 1 (0, 4) |
| SDI score, median (IQR) | 0 (0, 1) | 0 (0, 1) |
| Current steroid use, mean (SD) | ||
| Current daily dose, mg | 7.5 (5.7) | 7.4 (4.9) |
| Cumulative dose over 6 months, g | 111.5 (101.2) | 110.7 (103.3) |
| Currently receiving steroids (%) | 100 (55) | 57 (50) |
| Azathioprine use (%) | ||
| Never | 107 (59) | 72 (64) |
| Ever | 74 (41) | 41 (36) |
| Depression (%) | ||
| Including amitriptyline | 39 (22) | 19 (17) |
| Excluding amitriptyline | 31 (17) | 15 (14) |
| Carotid intima media thickness, cm, mean (SD) | 0.05 (0.01) | 0.05 (0.01) |
| Carotid plaque (%) | 47 (26) | 30 (27) |
| SF-6D, mean (SD) | 0.60 (0.12) | 0.62 (0.11) |
SLEDAI: Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index; SDI: Systemic Lupus Collaborating Clinics Damage Index; IQR: interquartile range.