Characteristics | Patients with SLE, n = 43 | Controls, n = 30 | p |
---|---|---|---|
Demographics | |||
Age, yrs | 28 (21–35) | 25.5 (23.8–31.3) | 0.822 |
Female | 41/42 (97.6) | 30/30 (100) | |
Education, yrs | 14 (12–15) | 12 (12–15) | 0.963 |
Clinical characteristics | |||
Disease duration, mosa | 13 (5–36) | NA | |
Time since SLE diagnosis, mos | 0 (0–0) | NA | |
Performance statusb | 0 (0–1) | NA | |
Pain, VAS, mm | 28 (8–57) | NA | |
Fatigue, VAS, mm | 26 (9–55) | NA | |
SLEDAI-2Kc | 10 (8–16) | NA | |
Profile of Mood State | |||
Tension-Anxiety | 14 (8–20) | 8.5 (7–15) | 0.043d |
Depression-Dejection | 13 (6–22) | 7 (4–17) | 0.045d |
Anger-Hostility | 5 (3–14) | 6 (4–8.3) | 0.915 |
Vigor | 8 (4–13) | 10.5 (5.8–15.5) | 0.098 |
Fatigue | 10 (6–16) | 8.5 (6–15) | 0.590 |
Confusion | 9 (6–13) | 9 (6–12) | 0.682 |
Total Mood Disturbance | 44 (22–69) | 30.5 (12–45) | 0.074 |
Global cognitive functioning | |||
MMSE | 30 (29–30) | 30 (30–30) | 0.017d |
P values were determined by Fisher’s exact test or Mann-Whitney U test.
↵a Defined as the time between the SLE-attributable symptom onset and assessment.
↵b Defined by Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group criteria.
↵c Items included low complement in 37 patients (86.0%), increased DNA binding in 36 (83.7%), arthritis in 26 (60.5%), new rash in 20 (46.5%), leukopenia in 15 (34.9%), fever in 11 (23.2%), proteinuria in 9 (20.9%), hematuria in 8 (18.6%), urinary casts in 8 (18.6%), alopecia in 7 (16.3%), pleurisy in 5 (11.6%), pyuria in 5 (11.6%), thrombocytopenia in 4 (9.3%), mucosal ulcers in 3 (7.0%), pericarditis in 2 (4.7%), vasculitis in 1 (2.3%), myositis in 1 (2.3%), and visual disturbance in 1 (2.3%). The other SLEDAI-2K items (seizure, psychosis, organic brain syndrome, cranial nerve disorder, lupus headache, and cerebrovascular accident) were not found in any patient.
↵d Significant variables. SLE: systemic lupus erythematosus; NA: not applicable; VAS: visual analog scale; SLEDAI-2K: SLE Disease Activity Index 2000; MMSE: Mini-Mental State Examination.