Clinical Characteristics and Prognoses of Patients With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Hospitalized for Pulmonary Infections.

To identify factors associated with mortality in SLE patients who were hospitalized for pulmonary infections (PIs). This single-center retrospective study analyzed the characteristics and risk factors for mortality in 95 SLE patients hospitalized for PIs. Ninety-five SLE patients had 97 episodes of hospitalization for PIs, and 33 of these episodes (34.02%) led to death. Death from PI was associated with a higher neutrophil count (6.30 vs. 4.201 × 10/L, < 0.01), immunoglobulin G (6.20 vs. 9.82 g/L, = 0.01), serum creatinine (126.00 vs. 73.00 μmol/L, = 0.01), proteinuria (2.99 vs. 0.54 g/day, < 0.01), cardiopulmonary involvement (57.58 vs. 34.38%, < 0.05), SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI; 11.00 vs. 6.00, < 0.05), and opportunistic infections (78.79 vs. 45.31%, < 0.05). Demographic characteristics, antibody/complements, bacterial infection, and primary treatment before infection (including corticosteroid and immunosuppressants) had no effect. Multivariate analysis indicated cardiopulmonary involvement (HR: 2.077; 95%CI: 1.022-4.220; = 0.043) and opportunistic infection (HR: 2.572; 95%CI: 1.104-5.993; = 0.029) were independent risk factors for mortality. High-dose steroid pulse therapy (HR: 0.982; 95%CI: 0.410-2.350; = 0.982) and first-line immunosuppressant therapy (HR: 1.635; 95%CI: 0.755-3.542, = 0.212) had no effect on mortality. Cardiopulmonary involvement and opportunistic infection were independent risk factors for mortality for SLE patients hospitalized for PIs. Use of high-dose pulse steroids and or immunosuppressants before hospitalization had no significant effects.