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Table 2 Multivariate relationship of corticosteroid and immunosuppressive agent use with subspecialty, disease subset and organ involvement

From: High frequency of corticosteroid and immunosuppressive therapy in patients with systemic sclerosis despite limited evidence for efficacy

Variable

Corticosteroid therapy vs. no corticosteroid therapy

Immunosuppressive therapy vs. no immunosuppressive therapy

 

Odds ratio

95% confidence interval

P value

Odds ratio

95% confidence interval

P value

Subspecialties (rheumatology vs. dermatology)

1.54

1.19 to 1.98

0.001

2.46

1.88 to 3.21

<0.0001

Gender (female vs. male)

0.69

0.51 to 0.96

0.025

0.78

0.56 to 1.10

0.13

Age (years)

0.99

0.99 to 1.01

0.67

0.99

0.98 to 1.00

0.04

Systemic sclerosis subsets

      

   Limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis (reference group)

1.00

  

1.00

  

   Diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis

1.47

0.45 to 4.88

0.53

1.77

0.51 to 6.19

0.37

   Overlap syndrome

3.64

1.06 to 12.51

0.04

3.69

1.02 to 13.37

0.05

Organ involvement

      

   Pulmonary hypertension

0.83

0.59 to 1.17

0.30

0.94

0.66 to 1.35

0.73

   Pulmonary fibrosis

2.30

1.77 to 2.99

<0.0001

1.53

1.16 to 2.00

0.002

   Musculoskeletal system

1.40

1.08 to 1.81

0.01

1.31

1.00 to 1.71

0.05

   Esophagus

1.01

0.78 to 1.29

0.96

0.92

0.70 to 1.20

0.53

   Kidney

1.66

1.12 to 2.47

0.01

0.91

0.59 to 1.38

0.64

   Heart

1.28

0.91 to 1.81

0.16

1.34

0.93 to 1.92

0.12