Table 8

Independent correlates of systolic blood pressure in women only, determined by using multivariate linear regression (GEE)

Variable

Parameter estimate

95% CI

P value

Age (years)

0.44

0.40, 0.48

< 0.0001

SLEDAI-2K score^a

0.37

0.30, 0.44

< 0.0001

Antimalarials^b

-1.32

-1.96, -0.69

< 0.0001

Immunosuppressives^c

-1.81

-2.48, -1.13

< 0.0001

Antihypertensives^d

6.85

6.17, 7.53

< 0.0001

Diabetes^e

2.43

1.16, 3.70

0.0002

Smoking^f

1.12

0.20, 2.04

0.017

Hypercholesterolemia^g

3.10

2.41, 3.78

< 0.0001

Lipid-lowering meds (statins)

-1.62

-2.52, -0.73

0.0004

GEE, generalized estimating equations; CI, confidence interval.

All variables were measured coincident with measurement of total cholesterol.

^aSLE Disease Activity Index 2000; scores range from 0 to 105, with higher scores indicating more-active disease.

^bAntimalarials include chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine.

^cImmunosuppressives include methotrexate, azathioprine, mycophenolate mofetil,

cyclosporine, and cyclophosphamide.

^dAntihypertensives include all classes of drugs used to lower blood pressure.

^eDiabetes is defined as fasting plasma glucose > 7.0 mmol/L or diabetes therapy.

^fSmoking one or more cigarettes per day.

^gHypercholesterolemia defined as total plasma cholesterol > 5.2 mmol/L.

Nikpour et al. Arthritis Research & Therapy 2010 12:R125   doi:10.1186/ar3063