Utilization of glucocorticoids among White and Black patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: Observations from the enrollment visit of a prospective registry

Background Black patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) face higher rates of morbidity and mortality compared to White patients. Long-term glucocorticoid use has been associated with worse health outcomes among patients with SLE. We sought to quantify chronic glucocorticoid use among Black and White patients with SLE within a prospective registry. Methods Using enrollment data from a registry at a large academic institution, we compared glucocorticoid use among Black and White patients with SLE. Multivariable logistic regression of race and glucocorticoid use was performed, adjusting for covariates exhibiting a bivariate association with glucocorticoids at significance level p < 0.10. Results 114 White participants (mean age 45; standard deviation (SD) 15) and 59 Black participants (mean age 42; SD 14) were analyzed. White participants had mean SLEDAI-2K score of 3.7 (SD 5.2). Black participants had mean SLEDAI-2K scores of 6.3 (SD 6.0). Among Black participants, 43 (72%) utilized glucocorticoids compared to White participants 39 (34%) (unadjusted odds ratio (OR) 5.17; 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.59–10.33). We did not observe differences between unadjusted hydroxychloroquine (OR 0.69; 95% CI 0.28–1.65) or conventional disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (cDMARD) (OR 1.07; 95% CI 0.57–2.01) utilization among Black and White participants. SLEDAI-2K, disability, recent hospitalization, and past or present hydroxychloroquine or cDMARD use were included in a logistic regression model. Adjusting for covariates, Black participants were more likely to be on glucocorticoids (adjusted OR 5.69; 95% CI 2.17–14.96); p = 0.0004). Conclusion Adjusting for disease activity and other medications, Black patients had more exposure to chronic glucocorticoids than White patients in the Cleveland Clinic SLE registry. These patients may face increased glucocorticoid-related morbidity, which could contribute significantly to long-term health outcomes and utilization of health care resources. Future research in larger, more diverse registries should be conducted to further characterize patterns of glucocorticoid use.