Lupus & antiphospholipid syndrome
Intercurrent infection as a risk factor for disease flares in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors' conclusion
The results of the present study show that intercurrent infections are associated with subsequent SLE flares, which supports the hypothesis that infections may trigger SLE flares.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in the Amsterdam SLE cohort
- Participants
- 203 patients
- Exposure
- Intercurrent infection vs no infection
- Outcome
- SLE flares (major and minor) following intercurrent infections
Methodological detailsregistry-based, proportional hazard models with recurrent events and time-varying covariates
- Registry-based
- Proportional hazard models with recurrent events and time-varying covariates
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
SLE flares (major and minor combined) with intercurrent infections (major and minor combined)
HR of SLE flare with intercurrent infection
1.9
95% CI 1.3 to 2.9
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Major SLE flare following a major infection
- HR
- 7.4 (95% CI: 2.2 to 24.6)
Minor flares following major infections
- Major infections not associated with minor flares
Incidence rates of infections
- Major infections, per 100 patient years
- 5.3
- Minor infections, per 100 patient years
- 63.9
Incidence rates of flares
- Major flares, per 100 patient years
- 3.6
- Minor flares, per 100 patient years
- 15.1
Original publication
Intercurrent infection as a risk factor for disease flares in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Lupus Sci Med. Published 1 July 2024. doi:10.
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