Breastfeeding in women with systemic lupus erythematosus: results from a Norwegian quality register

Table 4 Differences in breastfeeding and non-breastfeeding mothers with SLE 6 months after delivery

	N	Breastfeeding N = 44	N	Non-breastfeeding N = 38	p-value^a
Age ≥ 35 years, (%)	44	18.2	38	36.8	0.08
BMI (kg/m2), mean (SD)	36	25.6 (5.6)	26	24.3 (5.5)	0.26
Overweight (≥ 25 kg/m2)		17 (47.2)		9 (34.6)	0.44
Work status (full -or parttime), (%)	39	7.7	27	11.1	0.68
VAS scores (0–100), median (IQR)	27		21
Pain		24 (8–40)		20 (0–49)	0.88
Fatigue		26 (3–50)		30 (5- 63)	0.62
Global score		12 (3–37)		25 (8–55)	0.23
Inflammatory active disease^b (%)	36	5.6	23	4.3	1.00
CRP value (mg/L), mean (SD)	37	2.30 (2.2)	26	2.7 (3.1)	0.81
Regular physical activity^c (%)	18	66.7	21	61.9	1.00
Medications, n (%)	44		38
HCQ		34 (77.3)		28 (73.7)	0.80
sDMARD^d		16 (36.4)		13 (34.2)	1.00
bDMARD^e		0		1 (2.6)	-

SD standard deviation, BMI body mass index, CRP C-reactive protein, VAS visual analog scale, IQR interquartile range, HCQ hydroxychloroquine, sDMARDs synthetic disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, bDMARDs biologic disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs
^agroup comparisons were performed using Fisher´s exact test for categorical variables and independent samples t-test for continuous, normally distributed variables. For ordinal and continuous, non-normally distributed data Mann Whitney U test was performed
^bmeasured by LAI-P/SLEDAI. Active disease: ≥ 2,2 (LAI-P) or > 6 (SLEDAI)
^cat least once weekly
^d sDMARDs included azathioprine, methotrexate, sulphasalazine and mycophenolate mofetil
^ebDMARDs included belimumab, TNF-inhibitors and interleukin inhibitors

ISSN: 1746-4358