Infections in systemic lupus erythematosus: a prospective and controlled study of 110 patients

[Influence of underlying disease and immunosuppression on the immunocompetence in inflammatory rheumatic diseases]

Patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases have a higher risk of infections in comparison to the general population. For this patient group, in addition to cardiovascular diseases, infections play an important role with respect to morbidity and mortality. Even if it is difficult to make concrete statements with respect to individual diseases, it can be assumed that there is a lower risk of infections in inflammatory joint diseases in comparison to connective tissue diseases and vasculitides. The increased risk of infections is determined by multiple factors, whereby the underlying factors are classified into three main categories: patient-related factors (age, comorbidities, lifestyle), disease-related factors (immunological dysfunction as part of the disease pathophysiology) and drug-related factors (type and dosage of the immunosuppression and/or immunomodulation). An improved understanding of the complexity of these associations enables the optimization of treatment and disease control taking the individual risk factors into account, with the aim of a significant reduction in the risk of infections.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on SLE

Little is known about the association between coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and autoimmune diseases, especially in the case of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). SLE patients met with many questions during the pandemic in COVID-19, such as how to minimize risk of infection, the complex pathological features and cytokine profiles, diagnosis and treatment, rational choice of drugs and vaccine, good nursing, psychological supervision, and so on. In this study, we review and discuss the multifaceted effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients living with SLE using the available literature. Cross-talk in implicated inflammatory pathways/mechanisms exists between SLE and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, and SARS-CoV-2 displays similar clinical characteristics and immuno-inflammatory responses to SLE. Current epidemiological data inadequately assess the risk and severity of COVID-19 infection in patients with SLE. More evidence has shown that hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine cannot prevent COVID-19. During the pandemic, patients with SLE had a higher rate of hospitalization. Vaccination helps to reduce the risk of infection. Several therapies for patients with SLE infected with COVID-19 are discussed. The cases in the study can provide meaningful information for clinical diagnosis and management. Our main aim is to help preventing infection and highlight treatment options for patients with SLE infected with COVID-19.

Disease activity is associated with changes in the innate immune function in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

OBJECTIVE

To address the relationship between systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) disease activity and the functional parameters of the innate immunity.

METHODS

We evaluated a cohort of 26 adult SLE patients and 10 sex and age-paired healthy donors. When the patients had a disease flare (baseline) and when they achieve clinical response (follow-up), we assessed the systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity index 2 K (SLEDAI 2 K) and the following parameters with flow cytometry and confocal microscopy: monocyte subsets, their expression of TLR2, phagocytic monocytes and neutrophils using the pHrodo Red E. coli BioParticles, the respiratory burst with 123-dihydrorhodamine in neutrophils, and the spontaneous and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced production of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). We used the Wilcoxon test to compare the paired medians with interquartile range (IQR) and the Mann-Whitney U test for independent medians. To assess the effect of prednisone and SLEDAI 2 K on the mentioned parameters, we applied a generalized mixed linear model.

RESULTS

Twenty-three patients (88.4%) were women. The SLEDAI 2 K was higher at baseline 8 (6-14) in comparison to that at follow-up (6 (4-8), P = 0.028). At baseline, SLE patients had a decreased percentage of intermediate monocytes, a higher expression of TLR2 in total monocytes, increased phagocytosis in monocytes and neutrophils, a decreased respiratory burst intensity, and an increased production of NETs. In the mix model, the SLEDAI 2 K was the main factor influencing these functional innate immune parameters.

CONCLUSION

Disease activity regulates the innate immune function in SLE which may contribute to the clinical features and infection predisposition. Key points • This is the first cohort study addressing the effect of disease activity and prednisone use on the innate immune function of lupus patients. • Our results show that the disease activity is a key regulator of the respiratory burst, phagocytosis, and the production of neutrophil extracellular traps. • Also, we observed a differential proportion of monocyte subsets according to SLE disease activity. • We consider that our manuscript contributes to the evidence addressing the intrinsic immune abnormalities of patients with SLE regardless of the use of immunosuppressants and set the bases for new research work considering the disease activity as an element to decide the prescription and duration of antibiotic prophylaxis in SLE patients, which is of interest to all rheumatologists.

Herpes zoster in lupus nephritis: experience on 292 patients followed up for 15 years

Objectives

To evaluate the prevalence, incidence, and predictors of herpes zoster (HZ) development in lupus nephritis (LN).

Methods

This retrospective study included 292 LN patients to determine HZ incidence during the last decades and its correlation with LN activity. LN patients with HZ were matched with LN patients without HZ in a 1:2 ratio based on sex, age, year of LN diagnosis, and LN histological class at kidney biopsy to assess HZ risk factors. Statistical tests included t-test, U-test, and Fisher's test. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify potential risk factors.

Results

HZ occurred after LN diagnosis in 66 patients (prevalence 22.6%) with an average of 8.7 years (range 0.2-28.4 years). Although with the potential limitations of the retrospective nature and the extensive duration of the study, the incidence of HZ was 15.6/1,000 person-years, increasing from 6.9 before 1980 to 16.0 in the 1990s and 43.9 after 2010. HZ onset was unrelated to LN activity. LN was active in 43% of cases and quiescent in the other 57% of cases at HZ diagnosis. The percentage of patients who developed lupus flares during the year after HZ (18.9%) was not different from that which occurred during the year before HZ (17.2%, p = 0.804). After excluding confounding factors through matching, the univariate analysis suggested that cyclosporin during induction therapy (p = 0.011) and higher cumulative doses of glucocorticoids (GCs; >50 g, p = 0.004), cyclophosphamide (CYC; >5 g, p = 0.001), and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF > 1,000 g, p = 0.007) predisposed patients to HZ. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed a protective role of azathioprine (p = 0.008) and methylprednisolone pulses (p = 0.010) during induction therapy.

Conclusions

HZ occurs unpredictably throughout the course of LN, underscoring the importance of continuous monitoring for these patients. In addition, the incidence of HZ seems to have increased in recent decades. Induction therapy with azathioprine and methylprednisolone pulses appears to provide protection, while higher cumulative doses of GCs, CYC, and MMF increase susceptibility.

Traditional Chinese medicine use is associated with lower risk of pneumonia in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: a population-based retrospective cohort study

Objectives: To investigate the association between traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) therapy and the risk of pneumonia in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Methods: This population-based control study analyzed the data retrieved from the National Health Insurance Research database in Taiwan. From a cohort of 2 million records of the 2000-2018 period, 9,714 newly diagnosed patients with SLE were initially included. 532 patients with pneumonia and 532 patients without pneumonia were matched 1:1 based on age, sex, and year of SLE diagnosis using propensity score matching. The use of TCM therapy was considered from the SLE diagnosis date to the index date and the cumulative days of TCM therapy were used to calculate the dose effect. Conditional logistic regression was used to investigate the risk of pneumonia infection. Furthermore, to explore the severity of pneumonia in SLE, sensitivity analyses were performed after stratification using the parameters of emergency room visit, admission time, and antibiotic use. Results: TCM therapy for >60 days could significantly reduce the risk of pneumonia in patients with SLE (95% CI = 0.46-0.91; p = 0.012). Stratified analysis showed that TCM use also reduced the risk of pneumonia in younger and female patients with SLE by 34% and 35%, respectively. TCM for >60 days significantly reduced the risk of pneumonia in the follow-up periods of >2, >3, >7, and >8 years. In addition, the exposure of TCM for >60 days reduced the risk of pneumonia in patients with SLE who were treated with antibiotics for moderate or severe pneumonia. Finally, the study found that using formulae to tonify the kidney for more than 90 days and formulae to activate blood circulation for less than 30 days could significantly reduce the risk of pneumonia infection in patients with SLE. Conclusion: TCM use is associated with a lower risk of pneumonia among patients with SLE.

Short-term prognostic analysis of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus co-infection and comparison of mNGS and conventional microbiological test results

Objectives

Infection is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and as a new diagnostic technique, metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) is increasingly used for the pathogenetic detection of co-infected SLE patients. However, conventional microbiological testing (CMT) is still the gold standard for pathogenic diagnosis, and the specific diagnostic efficacy of mNGS versus CMT in such patients is not known. In addition, there are few studies on the short-term prognosis of co-infected SLE patients.

Methods

This study retrospectively included 58 SLE patients with co-infection admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from October 2020 to August 2022. Patients were divided into a survivors (n=27) and a non-survivors (n=31) according to their discharge status. Baseline characteristics and etiological data were collected and statistically analyzed for all patients during their hospitalization. The sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score, acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE) II and systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity index (SLEDAI) were calculated for each patient to assess the predictive ability of the 3 scores on the short-term prognosis of SLE patients. The mNGS and CMT culture results were also compared to clarify the flora characteristics of patients with SLE infection.

Results

More patients in the non-survivors had renal impairment, neurological manifestations, multiplasmatic cavity effusion and gastrointestinal manifestations compared to the survivors (p < 0.05). The SOFA score, APACHE II and SLEDAI were significantly higher in the non-survivors than in the survivors (p < 0.01). There were also significant differences between the two groups in several tests such as hemoglobin, platelets, albumin, total bilirubin, C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), and complement C3 (p < 0.05). In addition, the absolute values of T lymphocytes, CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells were smaller in the non-survivors than in the survivors (p < 0.05). The most common type of infection in this study was pulmonary infection, followed by bloodstream infection. mNGS and CMT positivity rates were not significantly different among patients in the non-survivors, but were significantly different among patients in the survivors (p=0.029). In-hospital survival of patients with SLE infection could be predicted based on the SOFA score in relation to 6. For patients with SOFA <6, we recommend earlier mNGS testing to identify the pathogen and improve patient prognosis.

Conclusions

For SLE patients with co-infection, in-hospital survival can be predicted based on SOFA score. For patients with SOFA <6, advising them to complete mNGS testing as early as possible may improve the prognosis to some extent.

Severe infections in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus from Tunisia: Prevalence and risk factors

Since the improvement in management and the reduction of mortality caused by the disease activity, infections have represented the main cause of morbidity and mortality in systemic lupus erythematosus patients. We aimed to determine the prevalence and identify risk factors of severe infections in systemic lupus erythematosus patients. We conducted a retrospective study on 93 Tunisian lupus patients followed between 2010 and 2019. The mean age of the disease was 33.63 ± 13.76 years. Fifty-two patients had 118 infections and 16% of the infections were serious. The bivariate analysis revealed a positive correlation between the total cumulative doses of corticosteroids and the number of serious infections (p = 0.009). The multivariate study has shown that the number of flares (p = 0.03), pulmonary manifestations (p = 0.01), pleuritis (p = 0.001), and the total cumulative dose of corticosteroids (p = 0.04) were independent risk factors of severe infections (p < 0.001). The use of antimalarials exerted a protective effect from severe infection [OR = 0.19 (95% CI 0.03-0.9)] p < 0.03.

Predictors of infection requiring hospitalization in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: a time-to-event analysis

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the predictors of serious infection in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

METHODS

Serious infections were identified in SLE patients in a prospectively-followed single centre cohort. Associations of serious infection with disease-related variables and medication use were analysed using Cox and related regression models.

RESULTS

346 patients were followed for a mean (SD) of 6.6 (3.7) years. 86 episodes of serious infection were observed, with an incidence rate of 3.8 episodes per 100 person-years. Patients who had serious infection had higher baseline SLE Damage Index (SDI) and Charlston Comorbidity Index (CCI); they were also more likely to have high disease activity status (HDAS), and higher disease activity in multiple clinical domains, higher flare rates, higher time-adjusted prednisolone dose exposure, and less time in lupus low disease activity state (LLDAS). Patients who have received cyclophosphamide, rituximab and mycophenolate were more likely to have experienced serious infection. After multivariable adjustment in Cox regression analysis, cyclophosphamide, higher SDI score, and higher disease activity were associated with an increased hazard of first serious infection. History of previous serious infection conferred the highest risk. Lymphopenia was also a modest but statistically significant predictor of serious infection.

CONCLUSION

History of previous serious infection was the strongest predictor of serious infection in our SLE cohort. This study also suggests that clinical factors such as damage accrual, disease activity, and choice of immunosuppressant, can each have an independent risk in predicting serious infection particularly the first episode.

Patterns of Outpatient Phecodes Predating the Diagnosis of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in Taiwanese Women

Shortening the time to diagnosis and initiating early treatment are imperative to improve outcomes in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The aim of this case-control study, based on the data from the Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD), was to investigate the patterns of diagnoses of disease phenotypes in female patients with SLE up to eight years prior to its definitive diagnosis. The 547 cases were selected from the 2000–2012 NHIRD catastrophic illness datafile and frequency-matched with 2188 controls. The primary diagnosis based on the first ICD-9-CM code for each outpatient visit was converted to Phecodes. Separate regression models, based on least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (lasso) regularization, with seven different lag periods from 1–2 to 7–8 years, were conducted. Results showed that SLE was associated with 46 disease phenotypes in a lag period of 2–3 years, but fewer in other lag periods. A number of SLE-associated disease phenotypes, such as primary thrombocytopenia, thyroid diseases, Raynaud’s syndrome, renal disease, and several infectious diseases, occurred mainly in the first few years prior to SLE diagnosis. In conclusion, SLE should be suspected when the disease phenotypes identified in the present study occurred concomitantly.

Infections in systemic autoimmune diseases

INTRODUCTION

Infections are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with systemic autoimmune diseases. The aim of the present study is to describe the frequency of infections in a historical cohort of the SAD polyclinic of the Maciel Hospital, according to the type of disease and treatment received.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

An analytical, retrospective and observational study was conducted in 339 patients with SAD attended at the outpatient clinic in the period from January 1, 2012 to February 28, 2019. Infectious complications were analysed according to treatment and disease.

RESULTS

339 cases, median age 56, mostly female. Most cases presented SLE (30.1%) and RA (23.6%), followed by antiphospholipid syndrome (20.4%) and Sjögren's syndrome (12.1%). Hydroxychloroquine (66%), followed by corticosteroids (55.5%) were the most frequently used treatments. Thirteen point three percent received biological therapies: 46.9% of the cases presented some infectious complication, 95% were non-opportunistic. Respiratory infections were the most frequent (48.6%) followed by urinary infections (31.7%) and skin and soft tissue infections (17.6%). On comparing the infected and non-infected groups, significant differences were found in the following variables: methotrexate, mycophenolate, corticoids, biological therapies, combination of drugs, active disease, RA and cases with overlap. The use of hydroxychloroquine and sulfasalazine was associated with a lower risk of infection in patients with RA.

CONCLUSIONS

Infections are a frequent complication in patients with RA, due to the immune disturbances of the disease itself and prescribed treatments, mainly corticoids and biologicals. The importance of screening and infection prophylaxis before starting treatment is stressed.

Comparison of Indexes to Measure Comorbidity Burden and Predict All-Cause Mortality in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Objectives: To examine the comorbidity burden in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients using a nationwide population-based cohort by assessing the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), Elixhauser Comorbidity Index (ECI), Multimorbidity Index (MMI), and Rheumatic Disease Comorbidity Index (RDCI) scores and to investigate their predictive ability for all-cause mortality. Methods: We identified 24,767 RA patients diagnosed from 1998 to 2008 in Taiwan and followed up until 31 December 2013. The incidence of comorbidities was estimated in three periods (before, during, and after the diagnostic period). The incidence rate ratios were calculated by comparing during vs. before and after vs. before the diagnostic period. One- and 5-year mortality rates were calculated and discriminated by low and high-score groups and modified models for each index. Results: The mean score at diagnosis was 0.8 in CCI, 2.8 in ECI, 0.7 in MMI, and 1.3 in RDCI, and annual percentage changes are 11.0%, 11.3%, 9.7%, and 6.8%, respectively. The incidence of any increase in the comorbidity index was significantly higher in the periods of “during” and “after” the RA diagnosis (incidence rate ratios for different indexes: 1.33–2.77). The mortality rate significantly differed between the high and low-score groups measured by each index (adjusted hazard ratios: 2.5–4.3 for different indexes). CCI was slightly better in the prediction of 1- and 5-year mortality rates. Conclusions: Comorbidities are common before and after RA diagnosis, and the rate of accumulation accelerates after RA diagnosis. All four comorbidity indexes are useful to measure the temporal changes and to predict mortality.

Antimalarial treatment and minimizing prednisolone are associated with lower risk of infection in SLE: a 24-month prospective cohort study

INTRODUCTION/OBJECTIVES

Infections are a major cause of morbidity and death in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Perfecting the understanding of contributors to infection burden in SLE is pivotal to improve management and outcomes. This study aims to identify clinical predictors of infection in SLE.

METHOD

We conducted a prospective cohort study at a referral SLE clinic. Infections were identified at each visit and categorized as (a) any type, (b) serious, (c) non-serious, and (d) bacterial. Survival analysis followed by multivariate Cox regression with an estimation of hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) was performed.

RESULTS

We included 259 patients during a mean follow-up of 23.3 ± 5.7 months. The incidence rate of infection of any type was 59.3 cases per 100 patient-years. Multivariate Cox models showed that (a) prednisolone ≥ 7.5 mg/day (HR = 1.95, 95%CI 1.26-3.03) and female gender (HR = 2.08, 95%CI 1.12-3.86) were associated with higher risk of infection of any type; (b) prednisolone ≥ 10 mg/day was associated with higher (HR = 4.32, 95%CI 1.39-13.40), and antimalarials with lower risk (HR = 0.18, 95%CI 0.06-0.51) of serious infection; (c) female gender (HR = 1.92, 95%CI 1.04-3.57) and prednisolone ≥ 7.5 mg/day (HR = 1.89, 95%CI 1.21-2.96) were associated with higher risk of non-serious infection; (d) antimalarials were associated with lower (HR = 0.49, 95%CI 0.26-0.93) and female gender (HR = 5.12; 95%CI 1.62-16.18) with higher risk of bacterial infection.

CONCLUSIONS

The risk of infection was higher in females in this young, well-controlled, low-comorbidity SLE cohort. Antimalarials were associated with lower and prednisolone ≥ 7.5 mg with higher risk of infection. Key Points • Lupus patients treated with prednisolone ≥ 7.5 mg/day were 89% more likely to present infections. • Lupus patients receiving prednisolone ≥ 10 mg/day were four times more likely to present serious infections. • Lupus patients receiving antimalarials were 82% less likely to present serious infections.

Increased risk of severe infections and mortality in patients with newly diagnosed systemic lupus erythematosus: a population-based study

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the risk of severe infection and infection-related mortality among patients with newly diagnosed SLE.

METHODS

We conducted an age- and gender-matched cohort study of all patients with incident SLE between 1 January 1997 and 31 March 2015 using administrative health data from British Columbia, Canada. Primary outcome was the first severe infection after SLE onset necessitating hospitalization or occurring during hospitalization. Secondary outcomes were total number of severe infections and infection-related mortality.

RESULTS

We identified 5169 SLE patients and matched them with 25 845 non-SLE individuals from the general population, yielding 955 and 1986 first severe infections during 48 367 and 260 712 person-years follow-up, respectively. The crude incidence rate ratios for first severe infection and infection-related mortality were 2.59 (95% CI: 2.39, 2.80) and 2.20 (95% CI: 1.76, 2.73), respectively. The corresponding adjusted hazard ratios were 1.82 (95% CI: 1.66, 1.99) and 1.61 (95% CI: 1.24, 2.08). SLE patients had an increased risk of a greater total number of severe infections with crude rate ratio of 3.24 (95% CI: 3.06, 3.43) and adjusted rate ratio of 2.07 (95% CI: 1.82, 2.36).

CONCLUSION

SLE is associated with increased risks of first severe infection (1.8-fold), a greater total number of severe infections (2.1-fold) and infection-related mortality (1.6-fold).

Low-dose IL-2 therapy invigorates CD8+ T cells for viral control in systemic lupus erythematosus

Autoimmune diseases are often treated by glucocorticoids and immunosuppressive drugs that could increase the risk for infection, which in turn deteriorate disease and cause mortality. Low-dose IL-2 (Ld-IL2) therapy emerges as a new treatment for a wide range of autoimmune diseases. To examine its influence on infection, we retrospectively studied 665 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) including about one third receiving Ld-IL2 therapy, where Ld-IL2 therapy was found beneficial in reducing the incidence of infections. In line with this clinical observation, IL-2 treatment accelerated viral clearance in mice infected with influenza A virus or lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV). Noticeably, despite enhancing anti-viral immunity in LCMV infection, IL-2 treatment exacerbated CD8+ T cell-mediated immunopathology. In summary, Ld-IL2 therapy reduced the risk of infections in SLE patients and enhanced the control of viral infection, but caution should be taken to avoid potential CD8+ T cell-mediated immunopathology.

Causes of Hospitalization for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in Saudi Arabia Compared With the Global Setting: A Retrospective Single-center Observational Study

BACKGROUND

This study sought to evaluate the main causes of hospitalization of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in a tertiary health center in Saudi Arabia.

METHODS

A retrospective observational study was performed for all the SLE patients admitted to King Saud Medical City between 2016 and 2019. The primary reason for hospitalization was determined by the primary physician caring for the patient at the time of admission.

RESULTS

Of the 98 hospitalizations for SLE, 49% of patients were admitted from the emergency department (ED) and 51% from the rheumatology clinic. The most common reason for hospitalization was lupus flare (68.4%) followed by infection (20.4%). The lupus flare patients commonly presented with musculoskeletal (MSK)symptoms (34.6%), renal manifestations (25.5%), and skin rash (24.5%), whereas patients admitted with infection were commonly diagnosed with community-acquired pneumonia (12.2%). Other hospitalization causes were obstetric complications, adverse drug reactions, and thrombosis. Intensive care unit (ICU) admission was necessary for 7% of patients due to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and pulmonary hemorrhage (28.6%) or other reasons (14.1%), such as pleural effusion, cardiac tamponade, and thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP). Conclusions: The two most common reasons for SLE hospitalization were lupus flare and infection. Lupus flare was mainly due to MSK, renal, and dermatologic manifestations. The most common infection leading to hospitalization was community-acquired pneumonia, and ICU admission was mainly due to ARDS and pulmonary hemorrhage.

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Immunodeficiency

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multisystem autoimmune disease caused by a combination of genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors. Recent advances in genetic analysis coupled with better understanding of different immune regulatory and signaling pathways have revealed the complex relationship between autoimmunity, including SLE, and immunodeficiency. Furthermore, the expanding therapeutic armamentarium has led to the increasing awareness of secondary immunodeficiency in these patients. This article serves to update the current understanding of SLE and immunodeficiency by discussing the shared genetic factors and immunobiology. We also summarize the effects of immunosuppressive therapies with a focus on secondary antibody deficiency (SAD) after B-cell targeted therapies.

Imaging of Joint and Soft Tissue Involvement in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To highlight the potential uses and applications of imaging in the assessment of the most common and relevant musculoskeletal (MSK) manifestations in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

RECENT FINDINGS

Ultrasound (US) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are accurate and sensitive in the assessment of inflammation and structural damage at the joint and soft tissue structures in patients with SLE. The US is particularly helpful for the detection of joint and/or tendon inflammation in patients with arthralgia but without clinical synovitis, and for the early identification of bone erosions. MRI plays a key role in the early diagnosis of osteonecrosis and in the assessment of muscle involvement (i.e., myositis and myopathy). Conventional radiography (CR) remains the traditional gold standard for the evaluation of structural damage in patients with joint involvement, and for the study of bone pathology. The diagnostic value of CR is affected by the poor sensitivity in demonstrating early structural changes at joint and soft tissue level. Computed tomography allows a detailed evaluation of bone damage. However, the inability to distinguish different soft tissues and the need for ionizing radiation limit its use to selected clinical circumstances. Nuclear imaging techniques are valuable resources in patients with suspected bone infection (i.e., osteomyelitis), especially when MRI is contraindicated. Finally, dual energy X-ray absorptiometry represents the imaging mainstay for the assessment and monitoring of bone status in patients with or at-risk of osteoporosis. Imaging provides relevant and valuable information in the assessment of MSK involvement in SLE.

Tuberculosis in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus-a 37-year longitudinal survey-based study

BACKGROUND

Infections are one of the most common causes of morbidity and mortality in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). SLE patients have a higher risk of tuberculosis (TB) infection due to impaired immune defence.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the demographics, clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with SLE and concomitant TB.

METHODS

Medical records of SLE patients with TB who were admitted to Peking Union Medical College (PUMC) Hospital in 1983-2019 were retrospectively reviewed. Age- and sex-matched SLE inpatients without TB were randomly selected as controls. Clinical and laboratory features and treatment were analysed and compared, and subjects were followed up to assess their outcome.

RESULTS

Of the 10 469 SLE inpatients, 249 (2.4%) were diagnosed with TB. Compared with controls, SLE/TB + patients exhibited higher frequency of prior haematologic, mucocutaneous and musculoskeletal system involvement, and prior treatment with potent glucocorticoid/immunosuppressive agents (GC/ISA). Arthritis and alopecia, positive T-SPOT.TB test and lymphocytopenia were more common in SLE/TB + patients. SLE/TB + patients with lupus before TB (SLE → TB) had higher risk of miliary TB (22.8%) and intracranial TB (16.5%) than SLE/TB + patients with lupus after TB (TB → SLE). SLE/TB + patients exhibited shorter long-term survival than SLE/TB- patients; those with poorer in-hospital outcomes had more severe lymphocytopenia and had received less treatment with ISAs.

CONCLUSION

Systemic lupus erythematosus patients treated vigorously with GC/ISA should be alerted of increased risk of TB infection, especially miliary and intracranial TB. Positive T-SPOT.TB and lymphocytopenia served as discriminatory variables between SLE/TB + and SLE/TB- patients. Lymphocytopenia was associated with poorer outcomes in SLE/TB + patients.

COVID-19 in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: lessons learned from the inflammatory disease

As the world navigates the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, there is a growing need to assess its impact in patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Patients with SLE are a unique population when considering the risk of contracting COVID-19 and infection outcomes. The use of systemic glucocorticoids and immunosuppressants, and underlying organ damage from SLE are potential susceptibility factors. Most patients with SLE have evidence of high type I interferon activity, which may theoretically act as an antiviral line of defense or contribute to the development of a deleterious hyperinflammatory response in COVID-19. Other immunopathogenic mechanisms of SLE may overlap with those described in COVID-19, thus, studies in SLE could provide some insight into immune responses occurring in severe cases of the viral infection. We reviewed the literature to date on COVID-19 in patients with SLE and provide an in-depth review of current research in the area, including immune pathway activation, epidemiology, clinical features, outcomes, and the psychosocial impact of the pandemic in those with autoimmune disease.

Sepsis Mortality Is high in Patients With Connective Tissue Diseases Admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU)

Objectives:

Patients with connective tissue diseases (CTD) such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have an increased risk for infections. This study investigated the outcome and characteristics of CTD patients under intensive care unit (ICU) treatment for sepsis.

Methods:

A single-center retrospective analysis was conducted and reviewed all patients with a CTD diagnosis admitted to the ICU of a university hospital for sepsis between 2006 and 2019. Mortality was computed and multivariate logistic regression was used to detect independent risk factors for sepsis mortality. Furthermore, the positive predictive value of ICU scores such as Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score was evaluated.

Results:

This study included 44 patients with CTD (mean age 59.8 ± 16.1 years, 68.2% females), most of them with a diagnosed SLE (61.4%) followed by systemic sclerosis (15.9%). 56.8% (n = 25) were treated with immunosuppressives and 81.8% (n = 36) received glucocorticoids. Rituximab was used in 3 patients (6.8%). The hospital mortality of septic CTD patients was high with 40.9%. It was highest among systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients (85.7%). SOFA score and diagnosis of SSc were independently associated with mortality in multivariate logistic regression (P = 0.004 and 0.03, respectively). The Simplified Acute Physiology Score II (SAPS II), SOFA and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) scores were good predictors of sepsis mortality in the investigated cohort (SAPS II AUC 0.772, P = 0.002; SOFA AUC 0.756, P = 0.004; APACHE II AUC 0.741, P = 0.007).

Conclusions:

In-hospital sepsis mortality is high in CTD patients. SSc diagnoses and SOFA were independently associated with mortality. Additionally, common ICU scores were good predictors for mortality.

Hospitalized Infections in Lupus: A Nationwide Study of Types of Infections, Time Trends, Health Care Utilization, and In-Hospital Mortality

OBJECTIVE

To examine the time trends in hospitalized infections in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and the factors associated with health care utilization and in-hospital mortality.

METHODS

US National Inpatient Sample data from 1998-2016 were used to examine the epidemiology, time trends, and outcomes of 5 common hospitalized infections in patients with SLE, namely, pneumonia, sepsis/bacteremia, urinary tract infection (UTI), skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs), and opportunistic infections (OIs). Time trends were compared using the Cochran-Armitage test. Multivariable-adjusted logistic regression models were used to examine the factors associated with health care utilization (hospital stay >3 days, hospital charges above the median, or discharge to a nonhome setting) and in-hospital mortality.

RESULTS

Hospitalization rates per 100,000 claims among SLE patients in 1998-2000 versus in 2015-2016 were as follows: for OIs, 1.13 versus 1.61 (1.2-fold increase); for SSTIs, 4.78 versus 12.2 (2.5-fold increase); for UTI, 1.94 versus 6.12 (3.2-fold increase); for pneumonia, 15.09 versus 17.05 (1.1-fold increase); and for sepsis, 6.31 versus 39.64 (6.3-fold increase). In 2011-2012, sepsis surpassed pneumonia as the most common hospitalized infection in patients with SLE. In multivariable-adjusted models, a diagnosis of sepsis, older age, a Deyo-Charlson common comorbidities score of ≥2, having Medicare or Medicaid insurance, and urban hospital location were significantly associated with increased odds of in-hospital mortality and with all health care utilization outcomes. African American race was significantly associated with increased odds of health care utilization.

CONCLUSION

The results of this study indicate that the rates of hospitalized infections increased over time in patients with SLE, and that pneumonia was surpassed by sepsis as the most common hospitalized infection. In addition, associations of risk factors with poorer outcomes were identified. These findings may help inform patients, providers, and policy makers with regard to the burden of infection in SLE, and could lead to interventions/pathways to improve outcomes.

Association between autoimmune diseases and COVID-19 as assessed in both a test-negative case-control and population case-control design

Background

COVID-19 epidemic has paralleled with the so called infodemic, where countless pieces of information have been disseminated on putative risk factors for COVID-19. Among those, emerged the notion that people suffering from autoimmune diseases (AIDs) have a higher risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Methods

The cohort included all COVID-19 cases residents in the Agency for Health Protection (AHP) of Milan that, from the beginning of the outbreak, developed a web-based platform that traced positive and negative cases as well as related contacts. AIDs subjects were defined ad having one the following autoimmune disease: rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, systemic sclerosis, Sjogren disease, ankylosing spondylitis, myasthenia gravis, Hashimoto’s disease, acquired autoimmune hemolytic anemia, and psoriatic arthritis. To investigate whether AID subjects are at increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection, and whether they have worse prognosis than AIDs-free subjects once infected, we performed a combined analysis of a test-negative design case–control study, a case–control with test-positive as cases, and one with test-negative as cases (CC-NEG).

Results

During the outbreak, the Milan AHP endured, up to April 27th 2020, 20,364 test-positive and 34,697 test-negative subjects. We found no association between AIDs and being positive to COVID-19, but a statistically significant association between AIDs and being negative to COVID-19 in the CC-NEG. If, as likely, test-negative subjects underwent testing because of respiratory infection symptoms, these results imply that autoimmune diseases may be a risk factor for respiratory infections in general (including COVID-19), but they are not a specific risk factor for COVID-19. Furthermore, when infected by SARS-CoV-2, AIDs subjects did not have a worse prognosis compared to non-AIDs subjects. Results highlighted a potential unbalance in the testing campaign, which may be correlated to the characteristics of the tested person, leading specific frail population to be particularly tested.

Conclusions

Lack of availability of sound scientific knowledge inevitably lead unreliable news to spread over the population, preventing people to disentangle them form reliable information. Even if additional studies are needed to replicate and strengthen our results, these findings represent initial evidence to derive recommendations based on actual data for subjects with autoimmune diseases.

Bacterial infections in a pediatric cohort of primary and acquired complement deficiencies

BACKGROUND

Acquired complement deficiency can occur in the setting of autoimmune syndromes, such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), with very low or, occasionally, undetectable C3 levels. Based on inherited complement defects, patients with transiently low complement may be at similar risk for serious bacterial infection, but the degree of risk related to C3 level and temporal association is unknown.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective study including pediatric patients with undetectable total complement activity or absent individual complement components measured at our institution from 2002 to 2018. We assessed annual rate of serious bacterial infection (SBI) defined as requiring hospitalization and/or parenteral antibiotics by manual chart review. Among included SLE patients, we assessed the 30-day probability of SBI for given C3 measurements using a logistic regression model to determine risk. Primary complement deficiency was analyzed for SBI rate as comparison. Covariates included age, level of immune suppression and history of lupus nephritis.

RESULTS

Acquired complement deficiency secondary to SLE-related disease [n = 44] was the most common underlying diagnosis associated with depressed complement levels and were compared to a cohort of primary complement deficient patients [n = 18]. SBI per 100 person-years and cohort demographics were described in parallel. Our logistic regression analysis of pediatric patients with SLE showed low C3 level was temporally associated with having an SBI event. Given equivalent immunosuppression, patients with an SBI had lower C3 levels at the beginning of the observation period relative to patients without SBI.

CONCLUSION

Pediatric patients with the diagnosis of SLE can develop very low C3 levels that associate with risk of serious bacterial infection comparable to that of patients with primary complement deficiency. Patients prone to severe complement consumption may particularly be at risk.

Infections in systemic autoimmune diseases

INTRODUCTION

Infections are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with systemic autoimmune diseases. The aim of the present study is to describe the frequency of infections in a historical cohort of the SAD polyclinic of the Maciel Hospital, according to the type of disease and treatment received.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

An analytical, retrospective and observational study was conducted in 339 patients with SAD attended at the outpatient clinic in the period from January 1, 2012 to February 28, 2019. Infectious complications were analysed according to treatment and disease.

RESULTS

339 cases, median age 56, mostly female. Most cases presented SLE (30.1%) and RA (23.6%), followed by antiphospholipid syndrome (20.4%) and Sjögren's syndrome (12.1%). Hydroxychloroquine (66%), followed by corticosteroids (55.5%) were the most frequently used treatments. Thirteen point three percent received biological therapies: 46.9% of the cases presented some infectious complication, 95% were non-opportunistic. Respiratory infections were the most frequent (48.6%) followed by urinary infections (31.7%) and skin and soft tissue infections (17.6%). On comparing the infected and non-infected groups, significant differences were found in the following variables: methotrexate, mycophenolate, corticoids, biological therapies, combination of drugs, active disease, RA and cases with overlap. The use of hydroxychloroquine and sulfasalazine was associated with a lower risk of infection in patients with RA.

CONCLUSIONS

Infections are a frequent complication in patients with RA, due to the immune disturbances of the disease itself and prescribed treatments, mainly corticoids and biologicals. The importance of screening and infection prophylaxis before starting treatment is stressed.

Immunosuppressive Agents and Infectious Risk in Transplantation: Managing the "Net State of Immunosuppression"

Successful solid organ transplantation reflects meticulous attention to the details of immunosuppression, balancing risks for graft rejection against risks for infection. The 'net state of immune suppression' is a conceptual framework of all factors contributing to infectious risk. Assays which measure immune function in the immunosuppressed transplant recipient relative to infectious risk and allograft function are lacking. The best measures of integrated immune function may be quantitative viral loads to assess the individual's ability to control latent viral infections. Few studies address adjustment of immunosuppression during active infections. Thus, confronted with infection in solid organ recipients, the management of immunosuppression is based largely on clinical experience. This review examines known measures of immune function and the immunologic effects of common immunosuppressive drugs and available studies reporting modification of drug regimens for specific infections. These data provide a conceptual framework for the management of immunosuppression during infection in organ recipients.

Clinical characteristics and risk factors of infection in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies

OBJECTIVE

Infection is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the clinical characteristics and risk factors of infection in SLE by comparing demographic factors, laboratory data, clinical features, and therapeutic factors between infection and non-infection SLE patients.

METHODS

PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases were searched systematically without restricting the language or year (up to September 2019) by using MeSH terms and keywords pertaining to SLE and infection. Three independent reviewers selected all observational studies based on the established inclusion criteria. Odds ratio (OR) and standardized mean difference (SMD) along with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used and the analyses were carried out by using a random/fixed-effects model. When necessary, different subgroup and sensitivity analyses were conducted. Study quality was assessed by the modified version (nine-star scoring system) of the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) and publication bias was evaluated by funnel plots, and Egger's and Begg's tests.

RESULTS

In total, we included 39 studies (3709 infection SLE patients and 10526 non-infection SLE patients) based on the inclusion criteria. Compared with the SLE patients without infection, we found that infected SLE patients had a significantly higher incidence rate of the following: 1) lymphopenia (OR = 2.738 95%CI (1.017-7.376), P = 0.046, I² = 81.4%), 2) thrombocytopenia (OR = 1.61 95%CI (1.4-1.85), P<0.001, I² = 0%), 3) anemia (OR = 2.294 95%CI (1.402-3.755), P = 0.001, I² = 83.0%), 4) hypoproteinemia (OR = 2.336 95%CI (1.408-3.876), P = 0.001, I² = 84.2%), 5) C3 consumed (OR = 1.890 95%CI (1.190-3.002), P = 0.007, I² = 77.4%), 6) diabetes mellitus (OR = 3.890 95%CI (2.450-6.160), P < 0.001, I² = 0%), 7) elevated creatinine (OR = 1.954 95%CI (1.646-2.320), P < 0.001, I² = 0.0%), 8) renal involvement (OR = 2.692 95%CI (2.000-3.623), P < 0.001, I² = 76.0%), 9) serositis (OR = 3.877 95%CI (0.995-15.110), P = 0.051, I² = 79.1%), and 10) use of steroid immunosuppressants (OR = 3.116 95%CI (1.959-4.957), P < 0.001, I² = 77.9%). Furthermore, infected SLE patients had a significantly higher mean dose of prednisone (SMD = 2.088 95%CI (1.196-2.981), P < 0.001, I² = 97.8%). In addition, SLE patients with infection showed a significantly lower incidence of antimalarial drug use (OR = 0.634 95%CI (0.451-0.892), P = 0.009, I² = 56.0%). Infected SLE patients had a significantly higher level of 1) 24-h urinary protein (SMD = 0.560 95%CI (0.300-0.810), P < 0.001, I² = 0%), 2) CRP (SMD = 0.437 95%CI (0.184-0.691), P = 0.001, I² = 68.6%), and 3) SLE Collaborating Clinics damage index (SDI) (SMD = 0.451 95%CI (0.238-0.664), P < 0.001, I² = 0.0%), along with a significantly lower level of albumin (SMD = -0.400 95%CI (-0.610--0.200), P < 0.001, I² = 0.0%). After adjustment for false discovery rate (FDR), lymphopenia and serositis were no longer associated with the occurrence of infection; however, the remaining factors were still associated with infection in SLE. According to the nine-star scoring system of NOS, 71.79% of the studies were considered as high methodological quality (low risk of bias). No significant publication bias, except for renal involvement, was detected from funnel plots or Egger's and Begg's test, while this publication bias of renal involvement did not impact the pooled estimates.

CONCLUSION

We identified many factors including thrombocytopenia, anemia, hypoproteinemia, hypocomplementemia, hypoalbuminemia, higher level of CRP, higher SDI score, renal involvement and diabetes mellitus that were associated with infection in SLE patients. In addition, glucocorticoids (especially high-dose) and immunosuppressants (e.g. cyclophosphamide) rendered SLE patients more susceptible to infection, while antimalarial drug administration (hydroxychloroquine) was a protective factor against infection in SLE patients. SLE patients with the above clinical characteristics and risk factors might be at high risk from infection, which might contribute to the early identification of infection in SLE patients for better prognosis.

Septicaemia is associated with increased disease activity and mortality in systemic lupus erythematosus: a retrospective analysis from Taiwan

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate how septicaemia, non-septicaemia infection and the disease itself are associated with disease activity and mortality in inpatients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in Taiwan.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed 1115 patients and enrolled 427 with SLE admitted for lupus flare-ups and co-morbidities. Disease activity and infection type/site were recorded and categorized according to the causes of admission and mortality into three categories, of which two were specified as follows: (a) septicaemia admissions, non-septicaemia admissions; and (b) septicaemia mortality, non-septicaemia infection mortality and non-infection mortality. The relationships between lupus flare-ups and mortality in different groups were analysed using an unpaired t-test, Mann-Whitney U-test and logistic regression.

RESULTS

Septicaemia was the major cause of mortality in SLE inpatients. There were 98 (22.95%) mortality patients among all 427 SLE patients. The septicaemia admissions had higher disease activity (SLE Disease Activity Index 2000 = 13.00 ± 7.98) than the non-septicaemia admissions (9.77 ± 5.72; p < 0.01). The mean current SLEDAI score of the septicaemia mortality group (14.91 ± 8.01) was higher than that of the non-septicaemia infection mortality group (10.05 ± 5.75; p = 0.02), in spite of the similar mean earlier SLEDAI score. The risk of mortality in the septicaemia mortality group due to previous septicaemia admissions was 13.2 times (odds ratio) higher than in the non-septicaemia infection mortality group and 15.6 times higher than in the non-infection mortality group.

CONCLUSION

Septicaemia relates to increased lupus disease activity and is associated with a greater risk of mortality in the SLE patients than other causes of admission. Fewer previous septicaemia admissions decrease the risk of septicaemia mortality.

DHA Sensor GPR120 in Host Defense Exhibits the Dual Characteristics of Regulating Dendritic Cell Function and Skewing the Balance of Th17/Tregs

In addition to functioning as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and age-defying cellular component, DHA impacts the immune system by facilitating the pathogen invasion. The mechanism through which DHA regulates immune suppression remains obscure. In our study, we postulated that DHA might interact with GPR120 to shape the dendritic cell (DC) differentiation and subsequently drive T cell proliferation during the virus infection. In vitro, the proportion of costimulatory molecules and HLA-DR on DC that generated from exogenous and endogenous (fad3b expression) DHA supplemented mice were significantly lower than wild-type mice. Given the importance of FAs, DHA is not only a critical cellular constituent but also a cell signaling molecule and FA deficiency reduces DC generation; we used GPR120^-/- mice to determine whether DHA receptor deficiency disorders DC maturation processing. Novelty, the expression of GPR120 on DC from wild-type (WT) mice was inversely related to DC activation and DC from the GPR120^-/- mice maintained a spontaneous maturation status. In vivo, both the excessive activation of GPR120 by DHA and the deletion of GPR120 effectively skewed the balance of Th17/Tregs and reduced the production of VNA and protection of vaccination. Overall, our results revealed a mechanism that the GPR120 self-regulation plays a crucial role in sensing DHA variation, which provides a new prospect for therapeutic manipulation in autoimmune diseases and the design of a vaccine adjuvant.

The Practice Guideline for Vaccinating Korean Patients with Autoimmune Inflammatory Rheumatic Disease

To develop a clinical practice guideline for vaccination in patients with autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic disease (AIIRD), the Korean College of Rheumatology and the Korean Society of Infectious Diseases developed a clinical practice guideline according to the clinical practice guideline development manual. Since vaccination is unlikely to cause AIIRD or worsen disease activities, required vaccinations are recommended. Once patients are diagnosed with AIIRD, treatment strategies should be established and, at the same time, monitor their vaccination history. It is recommended to administer vaccines when the disease enters the stabilized stage. Administering live attenuated vaccines in patients with AIIRD who are taking immunosuppressants should be avoided. Vaccination should be considered in patients with AIIRD, prior to initiating immunosuppressants. It is recommended to administer influenza, Streptococcus pneumoniae, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, herpes zoster, measles-mumps-rubella virus, human papillomavirus, and tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis vaccines in patients with AIIRD; such patients who planned to travel are generally recommended to be vaccinated at the recommended vaccine level of healthy adults. Those who live in a household with patients with AIIRD and their caregivers should also be vaccinated at levels that are generally recommended for healthy adults.

Changing trends in mortality in systemic lupus erythematosus? An analysis of SLE inpatient mortality at University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust from 2007 to 2016

The aim of this study was to determine the causes of mortality in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) at the University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) NHS Trust over a 10 year period. This was a retrospective study of patients who had died in UHCW NHS Trust between 2007 and 2016, where SLE or lupus was mentioned on the death certificate. Ethics approval was obtained from the Research and Development. We identified 22 patients out of 1979 admissions with SLE who had died during the period between 2007 and 2016, 7 of these patients were under 50 years of age. The leading cause of death was infection with pneumococcus being associated with two deaths. Active disease was associated with younger age at death. Median age at death was 58.5 years, with median duration of disease of 14.5 years. Constitutional and mucocutaneous features were the most common items scoring on disease activity, seen in 68.2% and 45.45%, respectively. We identified three patients with biopsy proven lupus nephritis and one patient with CNS lupus. Surprisingly, none of the patients died because of vascular problems. The study suggests a changing trend in SLE mortality with none of the deaths in this cohort being due to cardiovascular or cerebrovascular disease. Infection continues to be the biggest reason for mortality in this cohort and greater emphasis is needed on vaccination for preventable infections like pneumococcus.

Factors predictive of serious infections over time in systemic lupus erythematosus patients: data from a multi-ethnic, multi-national, Latin American lupus cohort

Aim

The aim of this study was to identify factors predictive of serious infections over time in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Methods

A multi-ethnic, multi-national Latin American SLE cohort was studied. Serious infection was defined as one that required hospitalization, occurred during a hospitalization or led to death. Potential predictors included were sociodemographic factors, clinical manifestations (per organ involved, lymphopenia and leukopenia, independently) and previous infections at baseline. Disease activity (SLEDAI), damage (SLICC/ACR Damage Index), non-serious infections, glucocorticoids, antimalarials (users and non-users), and immunosuppressive drugs use; the last six variables were examined as time-dependent covariates. Cox regression models were used to evaluate the predictors of serious infections using a backward elimination procedure. Univariable and multivariable analyses were performed.

Results

Of the 1243 patients included, 1116 (89.8%) were female. The median (interquartile range) age at diagnosis and follow-up time were 27 (20–37) years and 47.8 (17.9–68.6) months, respectively. The incidence rate of serious infections was 3.8 cases per 100 person-years. Antimalarial use (hazard ratio: 0.69; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.48–0.99; p = 0.0440) was protective, while doses of prednisone >15 and ≤60 mg/day (hazard ratio: 4.18; 95 %CI: 1.69–10.31; p = 0.0019) and >60 mg/day (hazard ratio: 4.71; 95% CI: 1.35–16.49; p = 0.0153), use of methylprednisolone pulses (hazard ratio: 1.53; 95% CI: 1.10–2.13; p = 0.0124), increase in disease activity (hazard ratio: 1.03; 95% CI: 1.01–1.04; p = 0.0016) and damage accrual (hazard ratio: 1.22; 95% CI: 1.11–1.34; p < 0.0001) were predictive factors of serious infections.

Conclusions

Over time, prednisone doses higher than 15 mg/day, use of methylprednisolone pulses, increase in disease activity and damage accrual were predictive of infections, whereas antimalarial use was protective against them in SLE patients.

Associated clinical factors for serious infections in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Infection occurs frequently in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and has been a major cause of morbidity and mortality. However, no large-scale comprehensive studies have estimated the effect of clinical characteristics on serious infection in actual clinical practice yet. We investigated the influence of clinical characteristics on serious infections using electronic medical records data. We conducted a nested case-control study. Patients with SLE who developed serious infection which needs hospitalization or intravenous antibiotics (n = 120) were matched to controls (n = 240) who didn't. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for infection associated with clinical features were obtained by conditional logistic regression analyses. The conditional logistic regression analysis with adjustment showed that serositis (OR, 2.76; 95% CI, 1.33-5.74), hematologic involvement (OR, 2.53; 95% CI, 1.32-4.87), and use of higher than the low dose of glucocorticoids (GCs; >7.5 mg/d prednisolone-equivalent) (OR, 2.65; 95% CI, 1.31-5.34) were related to serious infections in SLE. Serositis, hematologic involvement, and use of higher than the low dose of GCs were associated with serious infections in patients with SLE.

Bacteremia in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in Patients from a Spanish Registry: Risk Factors, Clinical and Microbiological Characteristics, and Outcomes

OBJECTIVE

To describe the incidence of bacteremia in a large multicentric cohort of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and their clinical characteristics and to identify risk factors.

METHODS

All bacteremic episodes from the Spanish RELESSER registry were included. Clinical and laboratory characteristics concerning bacteremia and SLE status, as well as comorbidities at the time of infection, were retrospectively collected. A comparison with sex- and age-matched SLE controls without bacteremia was made. A logistic regression was conducted.

RESULTS

The study included 114 episodes of bacteremia in 83 patients. The incidence rate was 2.7/1000 patient-years. At the time of bacteremia, the median age was 40.5 (range: 8-90) years, and 88.6% of patients were female. The Safety of Estrogens in Lupus Erythematosus National Assessment-Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index was 4 [interquartile range (IQR) 8]; 41% had an SLE flare (66% severe); Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index was 3 (IQR 4). A comorbidity was recorded in 64% of cases. At the time of bacteremia, 88.6% received corticosteroids (68.6% > 10 mg/day) and 57% immunosuppressors. Gram-negative bacilli, most frequently Escherichia coli (29.8%), caused 52.6% of the episodes. The bacteremia-related mortality was 14% and bacteremia was recurrent in 27.2% of cases. A dose-response relationship was found between corticosteroids and bacteremia risk. In the multivariate analysis, these factors were associated with bacteremia: elevated creatinine (OR 1.31, 95% CI 1.01-1.70; p = 0.045), diabetes (OR 6.01, 95% CI 2.26-15.95; p < 0.001), cancer (OR 5.32, 95% CI 2.23-12.70; p < 0.001), immunosuppressors (OR 6.35, 95% CI 3.42-11.77; p < 0.001), and damage (OR 1.65, 95% CI 1.31-2.09; p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Bacteremia occurred mostly in patients with active SLE and was frequently associated with severe flares and corticosteroid use. Recurrence and mortality were high. Immunosuppressors, comorbidities, and disease-related damage were associated with bacteremia.

The Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Infection Predictive Index (LIPI): A Clinical-Immunological Tool to Predict Infections in Lupus Patients

Among autoimmune diseases, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients have a unique predisposition to develop infections, which represents one of their main causes of morbidity and mortality. Many infections occur at disease diagnosis in the absence of immunosuppressive therapy, suggesting that the immunological abnormalities in SLE patients might be fundamental for the development of this complication. The aim of this study was to address the main clinical and immunological features associated with the development of infection and to create and validate a compound clinical-immunological infection predictive index in a cohort of SLE patients. We included 55 SLE patients with < 5 years since diagnosis. The clinical and immunological features were evaluated periodically and patients were followed-up during 1 year, searching for the development of infection. Immunophenotyping was performed by multiparametric flow cytometry and neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) were assessed by confocal microscopy. Eighteen patients (32.7%) presented 19 infectious events, 5 (26.3%) were severe. For the construction of the index, we performed a logistic regression analysis and the cutoff points were determined with ROC curves. Increased numbers of peripheral Th17 cells, B cell lymphopenia, and lower TLR2 expression in monocytes, as well as the use of cyclophosphamide were the major risk factors for the development of infection and thus were included in the index. Besides, patients that developed infection were characterized by increased numbers of low-density granulocytes (LDGs) and higher expression of LL-37 in NETs upon infection. Finally, we validated the index retrospectively in a nested case-control study. A score >1.5 points was able to predict infection in the following year (AUC = 0.97; LR- = 0.001, specificity 100%, P = 0.0003). Our index encompasses novel immunological features able to prospectively predict the risk of infection in SLE patients.

Infections in newly diagnosed Spanish patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: data from the RELES cohort

OBJECTIVES

Using data of patients from the inception cohort Registro Español de Lupus Eritematoso Sistémico (RELES), we aimed to analyse the incidence of severe infection in the first two years of follow-up and how predictors of infection change during the course of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study included 282 patients. Markers of lupus activity, prednisone doses and immunosuppressive therapy were compared between patients with and without infections in the first and second year of the disease. Drug therapy administered during the first month of follow-up has been considered as a potential predictor of infections during the first year and medications administered during the first year have been considered potential predictors of infections during the second.

RESULTS

Nineteen patients (6.4%) had a documented episode of major infection during the first year of follow-up and 16 patients (5.67%) during the second. The following variables were associated with infections during the first year: hypocomplementaemia at diagnosis ( p < 0.01), nephritis at diagnosis ( p = 0.03), SLEDAI score ( p < 0.01), prednisone >30 mg/day ( p = 0.01), methylprednisolone pulses ( p = 0.05) and mycophenolate use ( p = 0.02). The independent variables in the final model were hypocomplementaemia (odds ratio (OR) 4.41, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.96-20.20, p = 0.05) and a dose of prednisone >30 mg/day (OR 6.60, 95% CI 1.34-32.42, p = 0.02). The following variables were associated with infections during the second year: dose of prednisone > 7.5 mg/day ( p = 0.05), methylprednisolone pulses ( p = 0.07), duration of therapy with antimalarials ( p = 0.09), therapy with mycophenolate ( p = 0.01), therapy with cyclophosphamide ( p = 0.05). The independent variables in the final model were a dose of prednisone >7.5 mg/day (OR 4.52, 95% CI 0.99-21, p = 0.054) and duration of therapy with antimalarials as a protective factor (OR 0.99, 95% CI 0.99-1.00, p = 0.053).

CONCLUSIONS

The low incidence of early infections in the RELES cohort is partially explained by the extended use of antimalarials and by the general avoidance of prolonged high doses of prednisone. Patients with high baseline activity are at a higher risk of infection during the first months but therapy with medium-high doses of prednisone is the main predictor of infectious events. Thus, every effort should be made to limit oral glucocorticoid use from the very beginning of the SLE course.

Immunogenicity of sequential 13-valent conjugated and 23-valent unconjugated pneumococcal vaccines in a population of children with lupus

Pneumococcal vaccination is recommended as a quality indicator for management of children with systemic lupus erythematosus. Literature on the immunogenicity of pneumococcal vaccines (PCVs) in children is scant. We sought to prospectively evaluate via an observational study, the immunogenicity to sequential children with lupus. Out of a cohort of 26 patients, approximately 65% achieved > 70% vaccinated serotype antibody levels of > 1.3 mcg/dL following PCV13, and of 22 patients followed through PPSV23 vaccination, 59% achieved the same. Patients with rituximab exposure in the 6 months prior to a vaccination were more likely to not achieve protective serotype levels ( p < 0.01 for PCV13, trend p = 0.07 for PPSV23). Three of 22 patients with no apparent risk factors did not achieve protective serotype levels. Non-responders to PCV13 generally did not respond to PPSV23. Retrospective healthy controls achieved 100% protective levels in response to PPSV23 vaccination, with 95% of serotypes being > 1.3 mcg/dL. Thus, sequential 13- and 23-valent pneumococcal vaccines achieve protective status for approximately two thirds of pediatric lupus patients in our population. Lack of response to vaccine may be secondary to induced or inherent functional impairments in the patient.

Complement Consumption in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Leads to Decreased Opsonophagocytosis In Vitro

OBJECTIVE

Infections remain a major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The high prevalence of infections in SLE is attributed to both the disease and its treatments. The complement system plays an important role in host immune responses against invading microorganisms. We sought to provide the experimental and clinical evidence supporting the hypothesis that low levels of complement factors cause defective complement-mediated opsonization in patients with SLE.

METHODS

Staphylococcus aureus was opsonized with sera from healthy individuals (n = 16), SLE patients with normal (n = 5) or low complement (n = 8) levels. Phagocytosis of S. aureus by healthy human neutrophils was analyzed by an imaging flow cytometry-based method. We retrospectively examined the infection incidence in relation to complement levels in a cohort of 165 patients with SLE during a 1.5-year period. The association was analyzed for infection incidence and disease-related variables.

RESULTS

Uptake of S. aureus by neutrophils was decreased when S. aureus was opsonized with sera from SLE patients with low complement levels compared to sera from healthy individuals and SLE patients with normal complement. In our SLE cohort, 44% of patients had at least 1 infection during the 1.5 years. No significant association was observed between complement levels and infection risk. Importantly, high-dose glucocorticoids (GC; prednisone ≥ 10 mg/day) were the most important predictive factor for infections in patients with SLE.

CONCLUSION

Low complement levels affect bacterial opsonization in SLE blood and lead to downregulated phagocytosis by neutrophils. High-dose GC increase the infection risk in patients with SLE.

Corticosteroid dose and the risk of opportunistic infection in a national systemic lupus erythematosus cohort

Objective This study investigated whether the incidence of opportunistic infection differed in systemic lupus erythematosus patients who received different doses of corticosteroids. Methods We included patients with diagnosed systemic lupus erythematosus from 1997 to 2010 using Taiwan national health insurance data. The index day for systemic lupus erythematosus patients was 3 months after the systemic lupus erythematosus diagnosis. A non-steroid cohort was matched 4:1 with the steroid cohort according to age, sex and index day. The end of the follow-up period was the day of opportunistic infection diagnosis, 1 year after the index day, or death. Results The overall cumulative incidence of opportunistic infection was 136-fold higher in the steroid cohort than in the non-steroid cohort. The adjusted hazard ratio for developing mycobacterium infection in the steroid cohort was 11, and the adjusted hazard ratio for developing herpes zoster was 43.6 compared to the non-steroid cohort after adjusting for immunosuppressive agents and comorbidities. The adjusted hazard ratio value for opportunistic infection was 1.40 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.78-2.51) for a daily prednisone-equivalent dose of 7.5-15 mg, 1.72 (95% CI 1.02-2.91) for 15-30 mg, 1.96 (95% CI 1.17-3.28) for 30-60 mg and 2.24 (95% CI 1.26-4.00) for over 60 mg compared with low-dose steroids (<7.5 mg). Conclusion This study confirmed that the risk of opportunistic infection is higher in systemic lupus erythematosus patients treated with steroids in the first 3 months after diagnosis versus those not treated with steroids. Medium and high doses were associated with a higher risk of opportunistic infection compared with low doses. However, there was no controlling for disease activity, making it hard to know if increases in infection were due to disease itself or corticosteroids.

Clinical characteristics and risk factors of infections in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

To investigate the clinical characteristics of infection in SLE patients and analyze the risk factors of infection. A retrospective analysis method was used and the data were collected from 173 case times of 142 hospitalized patients. We found the incidence rate of infections in SLE was 50.7%. The most common infection sites were lungs, followed by upper respiratory tracts and urinary tracts. The most common pathogens were bacteria, followed by fungi. The infection-associated risk factors were duration of hospitalization, lupus activity state, the use of high-dose corticosteroids and immunosuppressive agents, the low serum level of complements 3 and 4 (C3 and C4), fever, the high level of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP), the abnormality of white blood cell (< 4 × 10⁹/L or > 10 × 10⁹/L), and the low level of albumin (P < 0.05 or P < 0.001). The independent risk factors for SLE patients with infection consist of the abnormality of white blood cells, the high level of CRP, the low serum level of C4, and longtime hospitalization. Attention should be paid to the risk factors of infection, and treatment to enhance immunity should be carried out to reduce the chance of infection.

Phenome-wide association study identifies marked increased in burden of comorbidities in African Americans with systemic lupus erythematosus

Background

African Americans with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have increased renal disease compared to Caucasians, but differences in other comorbidities have not been well-described. We used an electronic health record (EHR) technique to test for differences in comorbidities in African Americans compared to Caucasians with SLE.

Methods

We used a de-identified EHR with 2.8 million subjects to identify SLE cases using a validated algorithm. We performed phenome-wide association studies (PheWAS) comparing African American to Caucasian SLE cases and African American SLE cases to matched non-SLE controls. Controls were age, sex, and race matched to SLE cases. For multiple testing, a false discovery rate (FDR) p value of 0.05 was used.

Results

We identified 270 African Americans and 715 Caucasians with SLE and 1425 matched African American controls. Compared to Caucasians with SLE adjusting for age and sex, African Americans with SLE had more comorbidities in every organ system. The most striking included hypertension odds ratio (OR) = 4.25, FDR p = 5.49 × 10^{− 15}; renal dialysis OR = 10.90, FDR p = 8.75 × 10^{− 14}; and pneumonia OR = 3.57, FDR p = 2.32 × 10^{− 8}. Compared to the African American matched controls without SLE, African Americans with SLE were more likely to have comorbidities in every organ system. The most significant codes were renal and cardiac, and included renal failure (OR = 9.55, FDR p = 2.26 × 10^{− 40}) and hypertensive heart and renal disease (OR = 8.08, FDR p = 1.78 × 10^{− 22}). Adjusting for race, age, and sex in a model including both African American and Caucasian SLE cases and controls, SLE was independently associated with renal, cardiovascular, and infectious diseases (all p < 0.01).

Conclusions

African Americans with SLE have an increased comorbidity burden compared to Caucasians with SLE and matched controls. This increase in comorbidities in African Americans with SLE highlights the need to monitor for cardiovascular and infectious complications.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s13075-018-1561-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.