The demographic and clinical characteristics of subjects. Data are median (range) of each group of subjects unless otherwise indicated.
| Characteristics | HC | SLE (0 W) | SLE (4 W) | SLE (12 W) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | 20 | 23 | 23 | 23 |
| Age, yrs | 27 (22–48) | 26 (11–50) | 26 (11–50) | 26 (11–50) |
| F/M, n | 18/2 | 21/2 | 21/2 | 21/2 |
| SLEDAI | — | 14 (8–24) | 4 (2–16)# | 3 (2–12)# |
| Anti-dsDNA+ | — | 15 (65.2%) | 17 (73.9%) | 10 (43.5%)# |
| Anti–Sm+ | — | 20 (87%) | 17 (73.9%)# | 11 (47.5%)# |
| CRP, mg/l | 3.5 (0–5) | 40 (20–120)* | 28 (3–78)# | 12 (2–42)# |
| ESR, mm/h | 5 (3–21) | 44 (24–142)* | 37 (12–59) | 8 (5–39)# |
| C3, units/ml | — | 0.55 (0.16–0.82) | 0.54 (0.18–0.94) | 0.34 (0.08–0.55)# |
| C4, units/ml | — | 0.07 (0.02–0.17) | 0.05 (0.02–0.18) | 0.02 (0.01–0.09)# |
| WBC, × 109/l | 7.7 (3.6–9.4) | 4.2 (2.1–6.5)* | 7.1 (1.6–11.8)# | 8.7 (2.7–12.6)# |
| PBMC, × 109/l | 2.7 (0.9–4.5) | 1.5 (0.6–3.1)* | 2.1 (0.5–4.72)# | 2.6 (0.8–4.9)# |
↵* p < 0.05 versus HC;
↵# p < 0.05 versus baseline values. SLEDAI: Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index; CRP: C-reactive protein; ESR: erythrocyte sedimentation rate (normal range: men, 0–∼15 mm/h; women, 0–∼20 mm/h); C3 and C4: complement 3 and 4 (normal ranges: C3: 0.9–∼1.8E × 10−3 units/ml; C4, 0.43–∼0.64 × 10−3 U/ml); WBC: white blood cell (normal range: 4–∼10 × 109/l); 0 W: baseline; 4 and 8 W: weeks after therapies; —: undetected; HC: healthy controls; PBMC: peripheral blood mononuclear cells.