Lupus & antiphospholipid syndrome
Risk factors of digital gangrene secondary to systemic lupus erythematosus flare: real-world data from 2014 to 2022
Authors' conclusion
Our study establishes a close connection between declined NK cells and the pathogenesis of gangrene. The presence of digital ulceration and/or Raynaud's phenomenon and TMA, along with elevated serum CRP levels, increases the likelihood of gangrene, potentially serving as gangrene predictors in SLE. Infections secondary to gangrene further elevate the risk of amputation.
Study context
- Population
- Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients who developed gangrene, SLEDAI-2000-matched lupus patients without gangrene, and age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers31 of 3021 SLE patients with gangrene
- Participants
- 31 / 93 / 93
- Comparison
- SLE with gangrene vs SLE without gangrene and healthy controls
- SLE with gangrenen = 31
- SLE without gangrenen = 93reference
- Healthy controln = 93
- Outcome
- Risk factors of gangrene secondary to SLE
Methodological detailscontrols matched for SLEDAI-2000 scores, age- and sex-matched healthy controls, logistic regression
- Controls matched for SLEDAI-2000 scores
- Age- and sex-matched healthy controls
- Logistic regression
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- Digital ulceration, OR
- 8.56 (2.7 4-26.72) (95% CI)
- RP, OR
- 13.45 (2.4 0-75.40) (95% CI)
- Thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA), OR
- 12.24 (1.0 6-141.90) (95% CI)
- Elevated serum C-reactive protein (CRP), OR
- 1.01 (1.0 0-1.03) (95% CI)
- Declined natural killer (NK) cells, OR
- 0.96 (0.9 4-0.99) (95% CI)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Frequency of gangrene among SLE patients
- SLE patients with gangrene recorded
- 31 out of 3021 (1.03%)
Gangrene as first manifestation of new-onset SLE
- Patients with gangrene as first manifestation
- 16
Amputation among gangrene patients · 2-year follow-up
- Nearly half of gangrene patients experienced amputation
- 48.4%
Recurrent gangrene (second or subsequent episode) · follow-up
- Patients with a second or subsequent episode of gangrene
- 3
Amputation risk with infections secondary to gangrene (subgroup)
- Infections secondary to gangrene significantly increased the risk of amputation
- P = 0.046
Original publication
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →