Charlson Comorbidity Index Is Related to Organ Damage in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Data from KORean lupus Network (KORNET) Registry.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to identify whether comorbidity status is associated with organ damage in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

METHODS: A total of 502 patients with SLE enrolled in the KORean lupus Network were consecutively recruited. Data included demographics, age-adjusted Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCIa), disease activity indexes, the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index (SDI), the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 health survey (SF-36) score, and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) score.

RESULTS: Of the total patients, 21.1% (n = 106) experienced organ damage (SDI ≥ 1). Univariate correlation analysis revealed that SDI was not statistically correlated with any clinical variables (correlation coefficient r < 0.3 of all). There were significant differences in the BDI, mental component score of the SF-36, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI), CCIa, C-reactive protein, and mean dose of corticosteroid between non-damage (SDI = 0) and damage (SDI ≥ 1) groups. The presence of damage to at least 1 organ in patients with SLE was found to be closely related with higher CCIa, higher SLEDAI, and mean dose of corticosteroid (OR 1.884, 95% CI 1.372-2.586, p < 0.001; OR 1.114, 95% CI 1.041-1.192, p = 0.002; OR 1.036, 95% CI 1.004-1.068, p = 0.026; respectively) in binary logistic regression analysis.

CONCLUSION: This study suggests that organ damage as assessed by the SDI in Korean patients with SLE is related to comorbidities together with disease activity and corticosteroid exposure.