title: Charlson Comorbidity Index Is Related to Organ Damage in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Data from KORean lupus Network (KORNET) Registry.
abstract: The aim of this study was to identify whether comorbidity status is associated with organ damage in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
  
  
  
  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.
  
  
  
  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.
  
  
  
  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.
authors.affiliation: From the Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Arthritis and Autoimmunity Research Center, Catholic University of Daegu School of Medicine, Daegu; Department of Rheumatology, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Republic of Korea. kimsk714@cu.ac.kr.|S.K. Kim, MD, PhD, Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Arthritis and Autoimmunity Research Center, Catholic University of Daegu School of Medicine; J.Y. Choe, MD, PhD, Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Arthritis and Autoimmunity Research Center, Catholic University of Daegu School of Medicine; S.S. Lee, MD, PhD, Department of Rheumatology, Chonnam National University Medical School. kimsk714@cu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Seong-Kyu
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: From the Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Arthritis and Autoimmunity Research Center, Catholic University of Daegu School of Medicine, Daegu; Department of Rheumatology, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Republic of Korea.|S.K. Kim, MD, PhD, Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Arthritis and Autoimmunity Research Center, Catholic University of Daegu School of Medicine; J.Y. Choe, MD, PhD, Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Arthritis and Autoimmunity Research Center, Catholic University of Daegu School of Medicine; S.S. Lee, MD, PhD, Department of Rheumatology, Chonnam National University Medical School.
authors.forename: Jung-Yoon
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Choe
authors.affiliation: From the Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Arthritis and Autoimmunity Research Center, Catholic University of Daegu School of Medicine, Daegu; Department of Rheumatology, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Republic of Korea.|S.K. Kim, MD, PhD, Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Arthritis and Autoimmunity Research Center, Catholic University of Daegu School of Medicine; J.Y. Choe, MD, PhD, Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Arthritis and Autoimmunity Research Center, Catholic University of Daegu School of Medicine; S.S. Lee, MD, PhD, Department of Rheumatology, Chonnam National University Medical School.
authors.forename: Shin-Seok
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003240:Connective Tissue Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012042:Registries; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents
keywords: COMORBIDITY; CORTICOSTEROID; SLEDAI; SLICC/ACR DAMAGE INDEX; SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS