Variability over time and correlates of cholesterol and blood pressure in systemic lupus erythematosus: a longitudinal cohort study

Table 7 Independent correlates of systolic blood pressure determined by using multivariate linear regression (GEE)

Variable	Parameter estimate	95% CI	Pvalue
Age (years)	0.41	0.35, 0.48	< 0.0001
SLEDAI-2K score^a	0.39	0.28, 0.50	< 0.0001
Antihypertensives	6.44	4.94, 7.94	< 0.0001
Hypercholesterolemia	3.78	2.50, 5.05	< 0.0001

GEE, generalized estimating equations; CI, confidence interval.
All variables were measured coincident with measurement of total cholesterol.
^aSLE Disease Activity Index 2000; scores range from 0 to 105, with higher scores indicating more-active disease.
Antihypertensives include all classes of drugs used to lower blood pressure.
Hypercholesterolemia defined as total plasma cholesterol > 5.2 mmol/L.

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