Impaired Cytokine Responses to Epstein-Barr Virus Antigens in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients

Table 2

(a) Clinical Characteristics of SLE patients and division into subgroups according to lymphocyte levels. (b) Characteristics of healthy controls.

(a)

	All SLE patients	SLE patients with lymphopenia	SLE patients with normal lymphocyte levels
Number of individuals	27	12	15
Mean age (years) range	42.4 21–81	42.1 21–81	42.7 21–72
Females	96%	92%	100%
Disease manifestations:
Nephritis	30%	25%	33%
Vasculitis	0%	0%	0%
Arthritis	26%	17%	33%
Rash	19%	17%	20%
Alopecia	0%	0%	0%
Myositis	0%	0%	0%
Mucosal ulcers	0%	0%	0%
Serositis	7%	0%	13%
Leukopenia	7%	17%	0%
Thrombocytopenia	22%	42%	7%
Visual disturbance	0%	0%	0%
Fever	11%	8%	13%
Mean SLEDAI range	6.0 0–22	5.5 0–15	6.7 0–22
dsDNA antibody positive	48%	42%	53%
Rheumatoid factor positive
IgA	19%	17%	20%
IgM	4%	0%	7%
Low C3 or C4 level	52%	67%	40%
Mean C-reactive protein (mg/L) range	5 1–22	4 1–15	6 1–22
Medication:
Prednisolone	59%	83%	40%
Azathioprine	26%	42%	13%
Mycophenolate mofetil	22%	17%	27%
Methotrexate	7%	8%	7%
Hydroxychloroquine	52%	67%	40%
Anticoagulant	33%	50%	20%
Antihypertension	26%	17%	40%
EBNA1 IgG antibodies	89%	92%	87%

(b)

	All HCs	HCs matched to SLE patients with lymphopenia	HCs matched to SLE patients with normal lymphocyte levels
Number of individuals	27	12	15
Mean age (years) range	37.2 22–61	33.6 23–59	40.1 22–61
Females	93%	92%	93%
EBNA1 IgG antibodies	96%	92%	100%

SLE: systemic lupus erythematosus; SLEDAI: SLE disease activity index; ANA: nuclear antibodies; dsDNA: double stranded DNA; HCs: healthy controls.