Analysis of Sodium Chloride Intake and Treg/Th17 Lymphocytes in Healthy Individuals and Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis or Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Table 1

Main clinical and laboratory characteristics of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Number (female/male)	38 (36/2)
Mean age (range)	42.5 ± 10.5 years (19–61)
Disease duration (range)	5.4 ± 4.7 years (0–10.5)
DAS28 > 4 (%)	18/38 (47%)
Therapy
Prednisone (dose range)	20/38 (2.5–5.0 mg/day)
Methotrexate (dose range)	27/38 (7.5–20.0 mg/week)
Sulfasalazine (dose range)	5/38 (1.0–3.0 g/day)
Biological agents	0/38
Untreated patients (%)	10/38 (26%)
Anticitrullinated peptide antibodies	37/38
Salt intake
Low (range)	8/38 (1.7–4.9 g/day)
High (range)	30/38 (5.0–13.5 g/day)

Most treated patients were receiving two or more drugs.