Table 4 Characteristics of patients in each CD4 T cells transcriptional cluster

Age (years)

35 (27–46)

41 (34–53)

34 (19–38)

42 (34–52)

0.027

Gender (female)

30 (95.1%)

29 (96.7%)

14 (100%)

22 (91.7%)

0.790

Ethnicity

 White

27 (65.9%)

17 (56.7%)

6 (46.2%)

11 (50.0%)

0.396

 Black

5 (11.9%)

5 (16.7%)

3 (23.1%)

1 (4.55%)

 Asian

6 (14.3%)

4 (13.3%)

4 (30.8%)

6 (27.3%)

 Other

3 (7.14%)

4 (13.3%)

0

4 (18.2%)

Disease duration (years)

8 (6–15)

11 (9–17)

8.5 (6–11)

11.5 (8–20.5)

0.228

SLICC DI

0 (0–1)

0 (0–1)

0 (0–0.5)

0 (0–1)

0.561

ACR criteria

 Malar rash

21 (51.2%)

14 (46.7%)

9 (64.3%)

16 (66.7%)

0.409

 Discoid rash

9 (22.0%)

1 (3.33%)

1 (7.14%)

4 (16.7%)

0.124

Photosensitivity

21 (51.2%)

15 (50.0%)

9 (64.3%)

14 (58.3%)

0.777

 Oral ulcers

24 (58.5%)

23 (76.7%)

11 (78.6%)

10 (41.7%)

0.032

 Arthritis

38 (92.7%)

26 (86.7%)

12 (85.7%)

21 (87.5%)

0.815

 Serositis

14 (34.2%)

7 (23.3%)

4(28.6%)

8 (33.3%)

0.777

 Neurological

3 (7.32%)

2 (6.67%)

1 (7.14%)

2 (8.33%)

0.997

 Renal

15 (36.6%)

14 (46.7%)

7 (50.0%)

8 (33.3%)

0.621

 Haematological

22 (52.7%)

14 (46.7%)

9 (64.3%)

18 (75.0%)

0.174

 Immunological

29 (70.7%)

24 (80.0%)

12 (85.7%)

16 (66.7%)

0.480

 ANA

37 (90.2%)

25 (85.3%)

12 (85.7%)

22 (91.7%)

0.754

Disease activity

 SLEDAI score

8 (4–2)

8 (4–12)

12 (8–18)

6 (4–12)

0.145

 Active disease (BILAG A/B)

  Constitutional

4 (9.76%)

3 (10.0%)

1 (7.14%)

0

0.463

  Mucocutaneous

20 (48.8%)

15 (50.0%)

6 (42.9%)

10 (41.7%)

0.912

  Neuropsychiatric

4 (9.76%)

3 (10.0%)

1 (7.14%)

2 (8.33%)

0.988

  Musculoskeletal

21 (5.12%)

17 (56.7%)

7 (50.0%)

6 (25.0%)

0.105

  Cardiorespiratory

4 (9.76%)

4 (13.3%)

0

5 (20.83%)

0.267

  Gastrointestinal

2 (4.88%)

1 (33.3%)

0

2 (8.33%)

0.669

  Ophthalmic

1 (2.44%)

2 (6.67%)

0

2 (8.33%)

0.538

  Renal

13 (31.7%)

12 (40.0%)

6 (42.9%)

8 (33.3%)

0.826

 Haematological

1 (2.44%)

2 (6.67%)

0

0

0.422

Medication

 Oral prednisolone

32 (78.1%)

29 (96.7%)

10 (76.9%)

23 (95.8%)

0.042

 Oral prednisolone dose (mg/day)

10 (5–20)

10 (7.5–20)

10 (5–15)

12.5 (10–20)

0.495

 MMF exposed

23 (56.1%)

13 (43.3%)

4 (28.6%)

13 (54.2%)

0.284

 MMF current

8 (19.5%)

5 (16.7%)

3 (21.4%)

2 (8.33%)

0.642

 AZA exposed

5 (12.2%)

2 (6.67%)

1 (7.14%)

1 (4.17%)

0.684

 AZA current

3 (7.32%)

2 (6.67%)

1 (7.14%)

0

0.613

 MTX exposed

1 (2.44%)

0

4 (28.7%)

0

 < 0.001

 MTX current

1 (2.44%)

0

3 (21.4%)

0

0.002