Lupus & antiphospholipid syndrome
Risk of flare and damage accrual after tapering glucocorticoids in modified serologically active clinically quiescent patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: a multinational observational cohort study
Authors' conclusion
In mSACQ patients, tapering GCs was not associated with increased flare risk. Antimalarial use was associated with decreased flare risk. Tapering GCs protected mSACQ patients treated with >5 mg/day of prednisolone against damage accrual.
Study context
- Population
- Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients in modified serologically active clinically quiescent (mSACQ) (serological activity without clinical activity) treated with ≤7.5 mg/day prednisolone-equivalent glucocorticoids (GCs), 12-country cohort, 2013–2020
- Participants
- 1,850 patients
- Exposure
- GC tapering
- Outcome
- Flare (overall and severe) and damage accrual per 1 mg decrease of prednisolone
- Follow-up
- 2 years
Methodological detailsmultinational (12 countries), longitudinal, Cox proportional hazard models adjusted for confounders, Data collected prospectively 2013–2020; observation 2 years, censored at event
- Multinational (12 countries)
- Longitudinal
- Cox proportional hazard models adjusted for confounders
- Data collected prospectively 2013–2020; observation 2 years, censored at event
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Patients with overall flare
742
Patients with severe flare
271
Overall flare, aHR per 1 mg/day taper
1.02
95% CI 0.99 to 1.05
Severe flare, aHR per 1 mg/day taper
0.98
95% CI 0.96 to 1.004
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Damage accrual per 1 mg/day taper, initial prednisolone >5 mg/day (subgroup) · 2 years
- Patients with damage accrual (all)
- 180
- aHR
- 0.96 (95% CI 0.93 to 0.99)
Flare with antimalarial use
- Antimalarial use associated with decreased flare risk
Original publication
Risk of flare and damage accrual after tapering glucocorticoids in modified serologically active clinically quiescent patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: a multinational observational cohort study. Ann Rheum Dis. Published 15 July 2024. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →