Low numbers of blood and salivary natural killer cells are associated with a better response to belimumab in primary Sjögren’s syndrome: results of the BELISS study

Table 1 Baseline characteristics of patients

	All patients (N = 15)
Age, yr, median [IQR]	44 [36.5–63.5]
Female sex (%)	15 (100.0 %)
Disease duration, yr, median [IQR]	1 [0.5–6.5]
Whole unstimulated salivary flow (<0.1 ml/min)	12 (80 %)
Schirmer’s test ≤5 mm	10 (66.7 %)
Focus score ≥1	12 (80 %)
Baseline focus score, median [IQR]	1.6 [1–2.4]
Anti-SSA antibodies	14 (93.3 %)
Anti-SSB antibodies	10 (66.7 %)
Current background medication
Corticosteroids	4 (26.7 %)
Hydroxychloroquine	5 (33.3 %)
Methotrexate	0 (0 %)
Reason for inclusion
Systemic complications	11 (73.3 %)
Recent-onset disease	4 (26.7 %)
Increase in B-cell biomarker values	11 (73.3 %)
ESSDAI score (0–123), median [IQR]	7 [3–11]
ESSPRI score (0–10), median [IQR]	6.33 [6–7.33]

Anti-SSA anti-Sjögren’s syndrome antigen A antibodies, anti-SSB anti-Sjögren’s syndrome antigen B antibodies, ESSDAI European League Against Rheumatism Sjögren’s Syndrome Disease Activity Index, ESSPRI European League Against Rheumatism Sjögren’s Syndrome Patient Reported Index, IQR Interquartile range