Table 1 Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics of patients in placebo and active group

Demographic variables

   Age, years

45.5 (0.5, 49)

47 (33.5, 50)

   Height, cm

156.6 (151.5, 158.5)

157.0 (151.9, 160.4)

   Weight, kg

50.3 (44.1, 63.5)

50.5 (46.6, 56.9)

   Menopausal, number (%)

13 (65%)

11 (55%)

   Duration of menopause, years

2 (0-6.5)

0.5 (0-3)

Clinical variables

   Disease duration, years

12.7 (8.8, 18.8)

13.4 (9.6, 18.8)

   SLEDAI score

2.0 (0, 2.8)

2.0 (0, 3)

   SDI score

1 (0.3, 1)

1 (0, 2)

   Anti-ds DNA

31.5 (0-188)

0 (0-81)

   C3, mg/L

0.92 (0.71, 1.12)

0.85 (0.65,0.97)

   C4, mg/L

0.22 (0.16, 0.26)

0.18 (0.10, 0.23)

   CRP, mg/L

1.1 (0.5-5.5)

0.5 (0.5-1.7)

   Creatinine clearance, ml/min

74 (46.9, 108.8)

73.0 (55.5, 86.5)

   Ever had lupus nephritis, number (%)

17 (85)

13 (65)

Use of glucocorticoids

   Duration of glucocorticoids, years

12.7 (8.5, 18.8)

13.4 (9.8, 20.1)

   Current dose of prednisolone, mg/day

5 (5, 7.5)

5 (5, 7.5)

   Highest dose of prednisolone, mg/day

40 (30, 40)

40 (30, 50)

   Cumulative dose of glucocorticoids, mg

33, 177.7 (22, 642.6, 44, 473.0)

32, 329.3 (20, 448.9, 43, 385.1)

T-score of DXA

   Lumbar spine

-1.45 (-1.78, -0.93)

-1.10 (-1.65, -0.5)

   Hip

-1.15 (-1.58, -0.5)

-1.15 (-1.75, -0.7)

   Osteoporosis, number (%)

   Lumbar spine

2(10)

2 (10)

   Hip

0 (0)

1 (5)

Osteopenia, number (%)

   Lumbar spine

13 (65)

11 (55)

   Hip

12 (60)

11(55)