Table 1 Epidemiologic and clinical baseline characteristics of the cohort

Median age at enrollment (years) (IQR)

47 (38.5–55)

38 (30–47)

p < 0.001

Median disease duration (years) (IQR)

15 (7–21)

9 (5–17)

p = 0.052

Ethnicity (% of Caucasian)

98.6%

96.1%

ns

Sex (% of female)

92.3%

96.1%

ns

Median SELENA-SLEDAI at enrollment (IQR)

2 (0–2)

6 (5–8)

p < 0.0001

Median SLICC-DI at enrollment (IQR)

1 (0–2)

0 (0–1)

ns

Fibromyalgia (% of patients)

12%

5.9%

ns

Cumulative renal involvement (% of patients)

42.8%

47%

ns

Cumulative cutaneous involvement (% of patients)

51.9%

66.7%

p = 0.062

Cumulative articular involvement (% of patients)

66.3%

76.5%

ns

Cumulative serositic involvement (% of patients)

19.2%

19.6%

ns

Cumulative haematological involvement (% of patients)

49%

66.7%

p = 0.026

Cumulative neuropsychiatric involvement (% of patients)

12.5%

7.8%

ns

Ongoing GC (% of patients)

44.2%

78.4%

p < 0.001

Median daily GC dose (mg methylprednisolone) (IQR)

0 (0–4)

4 (2–8)

p < 0.0001

Ongoing immunosuppressant (% of patients)

39.4%

62.7%

p = 0.003

Ongoing HCQ (% of patients)

78.4%

76.5%

ns