Clinical characteristics of 34 systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients with infection and 39 SLE patients with flare.
| Characteristic | SLE with Infection | SLE with Flare | p |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sex, women/men | 31/3 | 36/3 | 0.898 |
| Age, yrs | 32.76 ± 12.41 | 32.77 ± 10.43 | 0.999 |
| Disease duration, mo | 31.59 ± 45.01 | 29.28 ± 32.07 | 0.804 |
| Malar rash | 9 (26.5) | 9 (23.1) | 1.0 |
| Serositis | 7 (20.6) | 3 (7.7) | 0.186 |
| Oral ulcer | 5 (14.7) | 10 (25.6) | 0.252 |
| Arthritis | 9 (26.5) | 25 (64.1) | 0.001 |
| Photosensitivity | 2 (5.9) | 2 (5.1) | 1.0 |
| Alopecia | 6 (17.6) | 11 (28.2) | 0.274 |
| Renal disease | 11 (32.4) | 8 (20.5) | 0.301 |
| Neurologic disorder | 3 (8.8) | 1 (2.6) | 0.352 |
| Anti-dsDNA, IU/ml | 20.81 ± 32.61 | 38.82 ± 42.58 | 0.045 |
| Hemoglobin, g/dl | 11.28 ± 2.28 | 11.75 ± 1.57 | 0.343 |
| Leukocytes, μl | 9564 ± 5641 | 6375 ± 4271 | 0.015 |
| Lymphocytes, μl | 1075 ± 662 | 1134 ± 752 | 0.740 |
| Platelets, × 103/μl | 223.65 ± 99.38 | 237.36 ± 85.51 | 0.457 |
| C3, mg/dl | 81.56 ± 38.84 | 60.38 ± 25.23 | 0.005 |
| ESR, mm/h | 41.26 ± 29.13 | 25.21 ± 20.12 | 0.014 |
| SLEDAI | 8.73 ± 8.43 | 10.74 ± 5.11 | 0.146 |
| Prednisone dose, mg/day | 22.88 ± 21.13 | 15.58 ± 19.41 | 0.128 |
| Hydroxychloroquine | 17 (50) | 27 (69.2) | 0.15 |
| Cyclophosphamide | 7 (20.6) | 5 (12.8) | 0.529 |
| Azathioprine | 2 (5.9) | 6 (15.4) | 0.271 |
ESR: erythrocyte sedimentation rate; SLEDAI: Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index. Data are number (%) or mean ± SD.