Table 1 Baseline characteristics of patient epidemiology and laboratory findings

Demographics

 Age, mean (± SD), years

704

57.1 ± 15.8

56.7 ± 15.9

60.5 ± 14.4

0.046

 Female sex, n (%)

704 (100%)

627 (100%)

77 (100%)

1.000

 Disease duration, median (IQR), years

699

12 (6, 21)

12 (6, 20)

14 (5, 23)

0.405

 The maximum dose of prednisolone, median (IQR), mg/day

622

25 (5, 45)

20 (3.75, 45)

30 (10, 50)

0.020

 Current dose of prednisolone, median (IQR), mg/day

704

2 (0, 5)

2 (0, 5)

4.5 (1, 5.5)

 < 0.001

Conventional cardiovascular risk factors

 BMI, mean (± SD), kg/m²

458

21.5 ± 4.0

21.4 ± 4.1

22.0 ± 3.4

0.124

 Smoking history, n (%)

  No

528 (75%)

475 (76%)

53 (69%)

0.133

  Former

84 (12%)

70 (11%)

14 (18%)

  Current

14 (2.0%)

11 (1.8%)

3 (3.9%)

  Unknown

78 (11%)

71 (11%)

7 (9.1%)

 Pack-year smoking, mean (± SD)

620

2.20 ± 6.68

1.90 ± 6.01

4.66 ± 10.4

0.026

 Arterial hypertension, n (%)

169 (24%)

137 (22%)

32 (42%)

 < 0.001

 Diabetes mellitus, n (%)

76 (11%)

64 (10%)

12 (16%)

0.151

 Dyslipidemia, n (%)

203 (29%)

179 (29%)

24 (31%)

0.632

 Family History of thrombosis, n (%)

  Coronary diseases

16 (2.3%)

16 (2.5%)

0 (0%)

1.000

  Stroke

34 (4.8%)

31 (4.9%)

3 (3.9%)

1.000

Autoantibodies for aPL

 aCL IgG [EIA], median (IQR), U/mL

304

6.00 (3.00, 10.25)

6.00 (2.70, 9.00)

7.99 (3.00, 21.50)

0.060

 aCLβ2GPI IgG [EIA], median (IQR), U/mL

378

0.69 (0.69, 1.19)

0.69 (0.69, 1.19)

0.70 (0.69, 1.99)

0.022

 aCL IgG [CLIA], median (IQR), U/mL

343

5.45 (3.73, 9.20)

5.35 (3.68, 8.75)

6.95 (4.00, 14.50)

0.050

 aCL IgM [CLIA], median (IQR), U/mL

343

2.20 (1.30, 4.40)

2.10 (1.30, 4.35)

2.50 (1.60, 4.85)

0.339

 aβ2GPI IgG [CLIA], median (IQR), U/mL

343

6.39 (6.39, 10.05)

6.39 (6.39, 8.90)

6.39 (6.39, 42.95)

0.006

 aβ2GPI IgM [CLIA], median (IQR), U/mL

343

1.09 (1.09, 1.85)

1.09 (1.09, 1.80)

1.09 (1.09, 1.88)

0.802

 LA test, Positive no./total no

368

83/368 (23%)

59/314 (19%)

24/54 (44%)

 < 0.001

 Anti-β2GPI/HLA-DR, median (IQR), U/mL

704

34.15 (11.92, 80.21)

33.43 (11.82, 74.81)

61.61 (13.36, 256.39)

0.004

APS profile and adjusted global APS score (aGAPSS)

 Patients of APS / aPL carrier, n(%)

  Fulfill the APS classification criteria

66 (9.4%)

32 (5.1%)

34 (44%)

 < 0.001

   Primary APS (PAPS)

13 (1.8%)

9 (1.4%)

4 (5%)

 < 0.001

   Secondary APS (SAPS)

53 (7.5%)

23 (3.6%)

30 (39%)

 < 0.001

   Catastrophic APS (CAPS)

0 (0%)

0 (0%)

0 (0%)

1.000

  Asymptomatic aPL carrier

78 (11%)

78 (12%)

0 (0%)

1.000

 aGAPSS, median (IQR)

368

3.00 (0.00, 5.00)

1.00 (0.00, 4.00)

4.00 (1.50, 12.25)

 < 0.001

Other laboratory data

 PLT, median (IQR), × 10⁴/μL

702

23 (19, 27)

23 (19, 28)

23 (19, 26)

0.427

 CRP, median (IQR), mg/dl

702

0.04 (0.02, 0.15)

0.04 (0.02, 0.14)

0.05 (0.02, 0.19)

0.409

 IgG, median (IQR), mg/dl

527

1,230 (986, 1,531)

1,234 (993, 1,535)

1,187 (942, 1,512)

0.436

 IgA, median (IQR), mg/dl

213

235 (164, 336)

236 (167, 333)

232 (149, 380)

0.998

 IgM, median (IQR), mg/dl

211

83 (51, 119)

85 (52, 119)

72 (44, 117)

0.462

 C3, median (IQR), mg/dl

316

84 (71, 100)

83 (70, 98)

92 (74, 105)

0.065

 C4, median (IQR), mg/dl

311

17 (12, 23)

17 (12, 23)

15 (12, 22)

0.782

 Anti-DNA [RIA], median (IQR), IU/mL

151

5.00 (2.00, 11.00)

5.00 (2.00, 11.50)

4.50 (1.99, 8.25)

0.530

 Anti-dsDNA IgG [EIA], median (IQR), IU/mL

123

2.40 (1.15, 6.10)

2.30 (1.05, 6.10)

3.45 (2.10, 6.08)

0.294

 Anti-U1RNP antibody, Positive no. /total no

404

153/404 (38%)

136/355 (38%)

17/49 (35%)

0.754

 Anti-Sm antibody, Positive no. /total no

368

88/368 (24%)

79/322 (25%)

9/46 (20%)

0.580

 Anti-SS-A/Ro antibody, Positive no. /total no

485

213/485 (44%)

186/429 (43%)

27/56 (48%)

0.567

 RF, median (IQR), IU/mL

400

34 [14, 102]

35 [14, 101]

20 [11, 99]

0.283