Baseline data such as the age of onset, sex, and observational period were collected. The baseline organ manifestations of SLE were assessed by both the ACR-1997 criteria and the EULAR/ACR-2019 criteria. The disease activity of SLE, at baseline and after induction and maintenance therapy, was scored according to the SLE Disease Activity Index 2000 (SLEDAI-2K) [29 (link)]. Antibody status of anti-nuclear antibody, anti-dsDNA, anti-Ro/La, anti-U1-RNP, anti-Sm antibodies, lupus anticoagulant, and anti-cardiolipin antibody (aCL) was also collected, and standard clinical cutoffs were used to define their positive results. The presence of lupus nephritis (LN) was defined as proteinuria ≥ 0.5 g/24 h or biopsy-proven nephritis compatible with SLE according to EULAR/ACR2019 criteria renal domain [23 (link)]. Subtypes of LN were confirmed by renal biopsy review according to the classification of the International Society of Nephrology/Renal Pathology Society (ISN/RPS) guidelines [30 (link)]. Drug information on induction and maintenance therapy was collected. Organ damage accrual was calculated by Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC) damage index (SDI) [31 (link)]. Disease flares were assessed according to the modified Safety of Estrogen in Lupus Erythematosus National Assessment (SELENA)-SLEDAI Flare Index without the physician global assessment (PGA) score [32 (link)].
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