Table 2: Demographic, clinical and immunological/neurological characteristics of corticosteroid-naive SLE patients with vs. without fatigue.

 

Variables

Fatigue, yes

Fatigue, no

p

(n = 8)

(n = 35)

Demographics

   Age, years

31.4 (8.7)

28.1 (8.6)

0.295

   Female

8/8 (100%)

34/35 (97/1%)

0.814

   Education, years

13.5 (2.1)

13.4 (1.9)

0.948

Clinical characteristics

  Disease duration, months

17.1 (20.6)

28.2 (44.2)

0.407

  Time since SLE diagnosisa, months

0.0 (0.0)

3.9 (20.2)

0.114

  SLEDAI-2K

14.0 (6.5)

11.4 (5.7)

0.332

  Perfomance Statusb

0.9 (0.8)

0.3 (0.5)

0.032c

  Pain, VAS, mm

42.1 (21.4)

27.7 (24.0)

0.108

 Sleep disturbanced

1.5 (2.0)

0.7 (1.1)

0.140

  POMS-Anxiety

21.3 (8.3)

12.4 (5.8)

0.005c

  POMS-depression

23.8 (12.0)

11.7 (8.4)

0.009c

Immunological/neurological markers

  Anti-DNA antibody, IU/ml, median (IQR)

32.5 (9.0 - 79.5)

102.0 (13.0 - 268.0)

0.225

  CH50, U/ml, median (IQR)

12.3 (10.0 - 29.5)

24.6 (12.6 - 33.1)

0.225

  Antiphospholipid antibody, positivee

2/8 (25.0%)

12/35 (34.3%)

0.478

  Interleukin-6, pg/ml (serum), median (IQR)

2.3 (0.6 - 5.2)

3.6 (0.9 - 7.0)

0.471

  Interleukin-6, pg/ml (CSF), median (IQR)

2.46 (1.2 - 6.95)

7.9 (2.8 - 11.0)

0.072

  Interleukin-8, pg/ml (serum), median (IQR)

13.8 (0.0 - 50.2)

14.4 (0.0 - 62.9)

0.852

  Interleukin-8, pg/ml (CSF), median (IQR)

41.5 (22.7 - 130.6)

78.0 (35.7 - 129.5)

0.537

  Interferon-α, IU/l (serum), median (IQR)

0.0 (0.0 - 27.4)

0.0 (0.0 - 1.0)

0.210

  Interferon-α, IU/l (CSF), median (IQR)

0.0 (0.0 - 15.5)

0.0 (0.0 - 3.0)

0.236

  IgG index, positive (normal < 0.70)

0/6 (0.0%)

6/31 (19.4%)

0.561

  Brain MRI, abnormalf

2/8 (25.0%)

4/33 (12.1%)

0.331

  Electroencephalogram, abnormal

4/8 (50.0%)

14/33 (42.4%)

0.500

 

Data are number/number assessed (%), mean (standard deviation: SD), or otherwise stated.

P values were determined by Fisher's exact test or Mann - Whitney U-test.

aTime between being diagnosed with SLE based on ACR criteria (1997) for the first time and assessment.

bDetermined using Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group criteria

cSignificant variables

dTotal scores from the three sleep-related items in the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-17 items

eAntiphospholipid antibodies include anticardiolipin-b2-glycoprotein-I complex and lupus anticoaglant.

fAll detected abnormalities consisted of small focal lesions (ø < 10 mm) in the white matter.

VAS = Visual Analog Scale

SLEDAI-2K = Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index 2000

POMS = Profile of Mood State

IQR = Interquartile Range

CSF = Cerebrospinal Fluid