Table 1 Demographic, serological, clinical data and medication of patients treated with MMF or CYC compared to controls

SLEDAI-2 k (points); median (range)

8 (2 to 14)

11 (0 to 16)

9 (3 to 18)

gender female number (%)

18 (72.0)

14 (70.0)

18 (81.8)

age (years); mean ± SD

38 ± 13

34 ± 9

40 ± 14

duration (years); median (range)

9 (2 to 28)^a

4 (0 to 25)^a

10 (0 to 26)

age at initial diagnosis of SLE (years); mean ± SD

27 ± 11

29 ± 10

29 ± 14

medication

prednisone (mg/day); median (range)

7.0 (2.5 to 15.0)

10.0 (0.0 to 30.0)

6.3 (0.0 to 100.0)

co-medication with antimalarials number (%)

18 (72.0)

12 (60.0)

16 (72.7)

currently active manifestations number (%)

class III-V nephritis

10 (40.0)

12 (60.0)

6 (27.3)

eGFR <60 ml/min

7 (28.0)

4 (20.0)

3 (13.6)

C3c <0.9 g/L

18 (72.0)

14 (70.0)

16 (72.7)

neuropsychiatric

0

0

0

mucocutaneous/cutaneous

8 (32.0)

8 (40.0)

7 (31.8)

arthritis

5 (20.0)

0^bb

9 (40.9)^bb

serositis

1 (4.0)

0

4 (18.2)

myositis

1 (4.0)

1 (5.0)

1 (4.5)

autoantibodies number (%)

anti-dsDNA >7 U/ml

21 (84.0)

15 (75.0)

20 (90.9)

anti-Ro >7 U/ml

11 (44.0)

10 (50.0)

13 (59.1)

anti-La >7 U/ml

4 (16.0)

4 (20.0)

4 (18.2)

anti-U1-RNP >5 U/ml

11 (44.0)

12 (60.0)

8 (36.4)

anti-SM >5 U/ml

7 (28.0)

9 (45.0)

4 (18.2)