Rituximab for Remission Induction and Maintenance in Refractory Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Table 1

Baseline characteristics of the 18 systemic lupus erythematosus patients and their main refractory and active involvement.

Characteristics	Values (𝑛=18)
Age, years*	28.5 (22–36)
Female, Gender	17 (94.4)
Prednisone dose*	25 (15–50)
Use of Azathioprine	5 (27)
Use of Cyclophosphamide	6 (33)
Use of Mycophenolate	9 (50)
Use of Hydroxychloroquine	11 (61)
Relapses/year*	3 (3–5)
Renal criteria**	11 (61.1)
Hematological criteria***	13 (72.2)
Cardiopulmonary criteria	8 (44.4)
Musculoskeletal criteria	14 (77.8)
Low C3	13 (72.2)
Low C4	10 (55.6)
Anti-DNA positive	9 (50)

All the data correspond to 𝑛 (%) with the exemption of those marked with *.
*Median IQR (interquartile range).
**Proteinuria (higher than 0.5 g/day), casts (erythrocytes, hemoglobin, granular, tubular, or mixed), hematuria, and pyuria.
***Leukopenia (less than 4.000 cells/mm³), thrombocytopenia (less than 100.000 cells/mm³), and hemolytic anemia.