Table 1 Demographics and clinical characteristics of premenopausal and postmenopausal LN patients

Age, mean ± SD, years

46.2 ± 12.9

37.1 ± 10.4

54.7 ± 8.5

< 0.001^a

Female, n (%)

128 (98.5)

61 (100)

67 (100)

1.000^c

Disease duration, median (IQR), years

5.0 (0.5–10.0)

5.0 (1.3–7.5)

4.0 (0–10.0)

0.217^b

Age at diagnosis of LN, mean ± SD, years

40.5 ± 13.7

31.7 ± 19.8

48.9 ± 11.3

< 0.001^a

Age at menopause, median (IQR), years

48.0 (44.3–50.0)

-

48.0 (44.3–50.0)

-

Menopause duration, median (IQR), years

6.0 (2.1–9.9)

-

6.0 (2.1–9.9)

-

SLEDAI score, median (IQR)

10.0 (6.0–15.0)

10.0 (5.5–16.5)

10.0 (6.60–14.0)

0.931^b

Weight, median (IQR), kg

53.7 (48.0-59.3)

53.0 (48.0–57.0)

55.2 (48.0-63.7)

0.038^b

Height, mean ± SD, m

1.57 ± 0.06

1.58 ± 0.06

1.56 ± 0.05

0.049^a

Body mass index, median (IQR), kg/m²

21.9 (19.6–24.3)

20.6 (19.3–23.2)

23.2 (20.8–25.9)

< 0.001^b

Smoker, current or previous, n (%)

1 (0.8)

0 (0)

0 (0)

1.000^c

History of fractures, n (%)

6 (4.6)

2 (3.3)

4 (5.9)

0.764^d

Proteinuria, n (%)

74 (56.9)

38 (62.3)

35 (52.2)

0.251^e

Laboratory findings

 Serum creatinine, median (IQR), µmol/L

55.0 (48.0–64.0)

52.5 (43.3–63.0)

57.0 (50.0–65.0)

0.053^b

 Blood urea nitrogen, median (IQR), mmol/L

4.8 (4.0-6.6)

4.5 (3.6–5.8)

5.5 (4.2–6.8)

0.004^b

 Uric acid, mean ± SD, µmol/L

268.6 ± 97.9

260.0 ± 90.4

275.0 ± 105.5

0.401^a

 Serum correction calcium, median (IQR), mmol/L

2.2 (2.1–2.3)

2.4 (2.3–2.5)

2.4 (2.4–2.5)

0.376^b

Treatments

 Glucocorticoids

  Current or previous use, n (%)

129 (99.2)

60 (99.4)

67 (100)

0.477^c

  Duration of use, median (IQR), years

3.6 (0-9.2)

4.0 (0.1–7.5)

1.0 (0.0–10.0)

0.505^b

  Max dosage, median (IQR), mg

50.0 (30.0–50.0)

45.0 (30.0–50.0)

50.0 (40.0–50.0)

0.087^b

 Immunosuppressant drugs, n (%)

96 (73.8)

43 (70.5)

51 (76.1)

0.472^e

 Antimalarial, n (%)

49 (37.7)

24 (39.3)

25 (37.3)

0.813^e

 Calcineurin inhibitors, n (%)

23 (17.7)

14 (23.0)

9 (13.4)

0.136^e

 Calcium supplements, n (%)

114 (87.7)

53 (86.9)

59 (88.1)

0.841^e

 Vitamin D3 and its metabolites, n (%)

119 (91.5)

54 (88.5)

63 (94.0)

0.427^d

 Bisphosphonates, n (%)

55 (42.3)

15 (24.6)

40 (59.7)

< 0.001^e