High disease activity status suggests more severe disease and damage accrual in systemic lupus erythematosus

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Disease severity in SLE is an important concept related to disease activity, treatment burden and prognosis. We set out to evaluate if high disease activity status (HDAS), based on ever attainment of a Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) disease activity score of ≥10, is an indicator for disease severity in SLE. METHODS: Using prospectively collected data, we assessed the association of HDAS with sociodemographic and disease characteristics and adverse clinical outcomes using logistic regression or generalised estimating equations. RESULTS: Of 286 patients with SLE, who were observed for a median (range) of 5.1 years (1-10.8 years), 43.7% experienced HDAS ..