Lupus & antiphospholipid syndrome
Effect of SARS-CoV2 infection on disease flares in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: a case–control study
Main finding · Clinical SLE flaresResult — go to the resultOdds ratio 3.67 95% CI 1.59–8.46Authors' conclusion
Clinical flares within 90 days were significantly more common in SLE patients infected with SARS-CoV2 than matched non-infected SLE controls.
Study context
- Population
- Patients fulfilling ACR/SLICC criteria for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), identified from a hospital COVID-19 registry
- Participants
- 91 vs 182
- Exposure
- SLE with COVID-19 vs matched SLE controls without SARS-CoV2 infection
- COVID-19n = 91
- SLE controlsn = 182reference
- Outcome
- Clinical SLE flare (mild/moderate or severe)
- Follow-up
- Within 90 days of COVID-19
Methodological detailsmatched 2:1 on age, sex and time of infection
- Matched 2:1 on age, sex and time of infection
Main finding
Clinical SLE flares · within 90 days
Odds ratio
3.67
95% CI 1.59–8.46
P = 0.001
By group
As reported in the abstract
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Mild/moderate clinical SLE flares in SARS-CoV2-infected patients · within 90 days
- SARS-CoV2-infected patients with mild/moderate clinical SLE flares
- 14 (15.4%)
Severe SLE flares in SARS-CoV2-infected patients · within 90 days
- SARS-CoV2-infected patients with severe SLE flares
- 2 (2.2%)
Changes in anti-dsDNA and complement levels
- Not significantly different between the two groups
Pre-infection C3 in infected patients with vs without clinical SLE flares
- Significantly lower C3 before infection in those with flares
- P = 0.004
Death
- Patients who died
- 1 (1.1%)
Safety
Serious manifestations of SARS-CoV2 infection
- SARS-CoV2-infected patients with serious manifestations
- 11 of 91 (12.1%)
Severe complications
- Patients who developed severe complications
- 7 (7.7%)
Original publication
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