Demographic and clinical characteristics of the study groupsa
| MS (n = 30) | dNPSLE (n = 23) | HC (n = 43) | P Valueb | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Female sex (No.) (%) | 23 (76.5%) | 22 (95.7) | 37 (86.0) | .150 |
| Age (yr) (mean) (SD) | 43.8 (8.6) | 48.9 (12.5) | 44.7 (9.8) | .170 |
| Disease duration (yr) (mean) (SD) | 11.7 (8) | 15 (9.6) | NA | .237 |
| SLAM checklist (mean) (SD) | NA | 9.9 (4.9) | NA | NA |
| EDSS (median) (IQR) | 3.3 (2.1–6.0) | NA | NA | NA |
Note:—NA indicates not applicable; dNPSLE, neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus with diffuse syndromes; SLAM, systemic lupus activity measure; EDSS, Expanded Disability Status Scale; IQR, interquartile range.
↵a Disease-modifying medications for treatment of MS included interferon β (n = 18). natalizumab (n = 8), and glatiramer acetate (n = 4). Other treatment included antianxiety (dNPSLE, n = 2; MS, n = 0), antiepileptic (dNPSLE, n = 0; MS, n = 5), antidepressants (dNPSLE, n = 10: MS, n = 11), antifatigue (dNPSLE, n = 0; MS, n = 4), antispastic (dNPSLE, n = 0; MS, n = 8), antiparesthesia (dNPSLE, n = 0; MS, n = 8), hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) (dNPSLE, n = 21), imuran (dNPSLE, n = 4), immunosuppressive (dNPSLE, n = 21; MS, n = 5), steroids or nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (dNPSLE, n = 17; MS n = 1).
↵b The χ2 test was used to evaluate significant differences in sex distribution among the groups, and analysis of variance was used to evaluate significant differences in age and disease duration.