Multinomial logistic regression models showed the effect of daily PDN dose and disease activity on the physician’s decision to change the PDN dose, taking into account different definitions of active disease measured by ECLAM, the number of active BILAG domains and the lack of ECLAM or BILAG remission
| Unchanging | Tapering | Increasing | Discontinuing | ||||
| OR (95% CI) | P | OR (95% CI) | P | OR (95% CI) | P | ||
| Model 1 | Ref. | ||||||
| PDN daily dose* | – | 1.4 (1.3 to 1.5) | <0.001 | 1.0 (0.9 to 1.1) | 0.863 | 1.0 (0.9 to 1.1) | 0.644 |
| ECLAM score† | – | 1.1 (0.9 to 1.3) | 0.299 | 1.6 (1.2 to 2.3) | 0.004 | 1.0 (0.7 to 1.5) | 0.826 |
| Model 2 | Ref. | ||||||
| PDN daily dose* | – | 1.4 (1.3 to 1.5) | <0.001 | 1.0 (0.9 to 1.1) | 0.386 | 1.0 (0.9 to 1.1) | 0.586 |
| ECLAM ≥1 | – | 1.1 (0.7 to 1.9) | 0.607 | 1.8 (0.9 to 4.1) | 0.145 | 0.8 (0.3 to 2.2) | 0.698 |
| Model 3 | Ref. | ||||||
| PDN daily dose* | – | 1.4 (1.3 to 1.5) | <0.001 | 1.0 (0.9 to 1.1) | 0.543 | 1.1 (0.9 to 1.2) | 0.408 |
| Number of active BILAG domains | – | 1.1 (0.8 to 1.3) | 0.687 | 1.9 (1.3 to 3.0) | 0.004 | 0.7 (0.3 to 1.2) | 0.213 |
| Model 4 | Ref. | ||||||
| PDN daily dose* | – | 1.4 (1.3 to 1.5) | <0.001 | 1.0 (0.9 to 1.1) | 0.565 | 1.1 (0.9 to 1.2) | 0.389 |
| Active BILAG domains ≥1 | – | 0.9 (0.5 to 1.4) | 0.599 | 2.5 (1.2 to 6.2) | 0.025 | 0.4 (0.1 to 1.1) | 0.085 |
*Per prednisone mg/day.
†Per ECLAM point.
BILAG, British Isles Lupus Assessment Group; ECLAM, European Consensus Lupus Activity Measurement; PDN, prednisone.