Baseline characteristics of the 127 patients enrolled in the GULP study cohort
| Value | |
| Age, mean (±SD) | 36.7 (± 13.4) |
| Female | 105 (82.7%) |
| Caucasian | 109 (85.8%) |
| Disease duration (months), median (IQR) | 6.1 (1.3–11.5) |
| Time elapsed since the onset of SLE symptoms (<1 year) | 97 (76.4%) |
| School education <8 years | 5 (3.9%) |
| 8–13 years | 85 (67.0%) |
| >13 years | 37 (29.1%) |
| Clinical phenotypes according to BILAG domains | |
| Constitutional | 58 (45.7%) |
| Mucocutaneous | 67 (53.2%) |
| Neuropsychiatric | 11 (8.7%) |
| Musculoskeletal | 78 (61.4%) |
| Cardiorespiratory | 26 (20.5%) |
| Gastrointestinal | 7 (5.5%) |
| Ophthalmic | 0 (0%) |
| Renal | 46 (36.2%) |
| Haematological | 55 (43.3%) |
| Serologic features | |
| Anti-dsDNA | 101 (80.8%) |
| Anti-Ro/SSA | 41 (35.3%) |
| Anti-La/SSB | 20 (17.4%) |
| Anti-RNP | 30 (26.1%) |
| Anti-Sm | 31 (26.7%) |
| Antiphospholipid antibodies* | 35 (27.6%) |
| C3 complement fraction(mg/dL), median (IQR) | 69 (50–91) |
| C4 complement fraction (mg/dL), median (IQR) | 11 (6–15) |
| ECLAM, median (IQR) | 3 (2–5) |
| SDI, mean (±SD) | 0.2 (±0.6) |
| Comorbidities | |
| Smoking (ever) | 30 (23.6%) |
| Diabetes | 4 (3.1%) |
| Hypertension | 17 (13.4%) |
| Dyslipidaemia | 17 (13.4%) |
| Obesity (BMI >30) | 6 (4.7%) |
| Medications | |
| Hydroxychloroquine† | 98 (77.2%) |
| Conventional immunosuppressants† | 81 (63.8%) |
| Biologics† | 9 (7.0%) |
| Prednisone (prior to enrolment) | 21 (16.5%) |
Data were complete for all participants.
Unless otherwise expressed, numbers are absolute values (percentage).
*Lupus anticoagulant (LA) and/or anticardiolipin antibodies (aCl) IgM/IgG and/or anti-B2-glicoprotein I (aB2GPI) IgM/IgG.
†Treatment prescribed at baseline visit.
BILAG, British Isles Lupus Assessment Group; BMI, body mass index; ECLAM, European Consensus Lupus Activity Measurement; GULP, Glucocorticoids Use in newly diagnosed SLE Patients; SDI, SLICC/ACR Damage Index; SLE, systemic lupus erythematosus.