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

Table 8 Independent correlates of systolic blood pressure in women only, determined by using multivariate linear regression (GEE)

Variable	Parameter estimate	95% CI	Pvalue
Age (years)	0.44	0.40, 0.48	< 0.0001
SLEDAI-2K score^a	0.37	0.30, 0.44	< 0.0001
Antimalarials^b	-1.32	-1.96, -0.69	< 0.0001
Immunosuppressives^c	-1.81	-2.48, -1.13	< 0.0001
Antihypertensives^d	6.85	6.17, 7.53	< 0.0001
Diabetes^e	2.43	1.16, 3.70	0.0002
Smoking^f	1.12	0.20, 2.04	0.017
Hypercholesterolemia^g	3.10	2.41, 3.78	< 0.0001
Lipid-lowering meds (statins)	-1.62	-2.52, -0.73	0.0004

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.
^bAntimalarials include chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine.
^cImmunosuppressives include methotrexate, azathioprine, mycophenolate mofetil,
cyclosporine, and cyclophosphamide.
^dAntihypertensives include all classes of drugs used to lower blood pressure.
^eDiabetes is defined as fasting plasma glucose > 7.0 mmol/L or diabetes therapy.
^fSmoking one or more cigarettes per day.
^gHypercholesterolemia defined as total plasma cholesterol > 5.2 mmol/L.

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