The Lived Experience of Lupus Flares: Features, Triggers, and Management in an Australian Female Cohort
Table 1
Demographic characteristics of patient participant groups.
Borderline SLE ACR 3+1* ()
SLE ACR 4+ ()
All patients ()
One-way ANVOVA
Mean ± SD
Mean ± SD
Mean ± SD
value
Age (years)
Diagnosis (years)
Medical review frequency
0.01
Current health score (VAS scale)**
0.02
Stress score (VAS scale)***
Outdoor hours per year
Average hours outdoors per day
Body Mass Index score
no. (%)
no. (%)
no. (%)
value
Comorbidity
Autoimmune illness other than SLE
15 (71.4)
47 (58.8)
62 (61.4)
Other illnesses not autoimmune
16 (76.2)
50 (62.5)
66 (65.4)
Ethnicity
Caucasian
21 (100)
78 (97.5)
99 (98)
Other (Asian)
2 (2.5)
2 (2)
Educational background
0.0
Year 9 (15 years)
9 (42.9)
8 (10.0)
17 (16.8)
School certificate/leaving Certificate
4 (19.1)
24 (30.0)
28 (27.7)
Higher school certificate
1 (4.8)
2 (2.5)
3.0 (3.0)
Apprenticeship
1 (4.8)
4 (5.0)
5.0 (5.0)
Tertiary (university/college)
3 (14.3)
36 (45.0)
39 (39.0)
Postgraduate studies
2 (9.5)
6 (7.5)
8 (7.9)
Socioeconomic status
Above average
2 (9.5)
15 (18.8)
17 (16.8)
Average
17 (80.9)
56 (70.0)
73 (72.3)
Below average
2 (9.5)
9 (11.3)
11 (10.9)
Smoking status
Current smoker
2 (9.5)
6 (7.5)
8 (7.9)
Past smoker
8 (38.1)
30 (37.5)
38 (37.6)
Use immune therapy medications
17 (81)
67 (83.8)
84 (83.2)
Use vitamin D supplementation
4 (19.1)
42 (52.5)
46 (45.5)
0.01
Use hormone supplementation
3 (14.3)
30 (37.5)
33 (32.8)
Regular sun
12 (57.1)
39 (48.8)
51 (50.5)
Regular sun + sunscreen
14 (66.7)
65 (81.2)
79 (78.2)
Clinical ACR SLE features
Malar rash
8 (38.1)
57 (71.3)
65 (64.4)
0.01
Discoid rash
3 (3.8)
3 (3)
Photosensitivity
4 (19.1)
43 (53.8)
47 (46.5)
0.01
Oral/nasal ulcers
29 (36.3)
29 (28.7)
0.00
Arthritis
17 (81)
63 (78.8)
80 (79.2)
Serositis
1 (4.8)
20 (25.0)
21 (20.8)
Renal disorder
4 (19.1)
37 (46.3)
41 (40.6)
0.03
Neurological disorder
6 (28.6)
33 (41.3)
39 (38.6)
Haematological disorder
4 (19.1)
39 (48.8)
43 (42.6)
0.02
Immunologic disorder
3 (14.3)
27 (33.8)
30 (29.7)
Antinuclear antibody (ANA)
17 (81)
73 (91.3)
90 (89.1)
Pharmacological challenge****
21 (100)
75 (93.8)
96 (95)
ACR 3+1 health record audit documented ACR criteria count + positive response to pharmacological challenge (****). **Visual Analogue Scale score of 0–100: current Health (0) extremely Poor, (100) excellent. ***Visual Analogue Scale score of 0–100: stress level (0) no stress at all, (100) highly stressed. ****Documented positive response to pharmacological challenge of oral steroids (prednisolone) or hydroxychloroquine.
