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.