Tsai PH, et al. - A retrospective analysis was performed to evaluate how septicaemia, non-septicaemia infection and the disease itself are correlated with disease activity and mortality in inpatients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in Taiwan. In this study, 1,115 individuals were retrospectively examined and enrolled 427 with SLE admitted for lupus flare-ups and co-morbidities. They noted and classified disease activity and infection type/site according to the causes of admission and mortality into three categories, of which two were defined as septicaemia admissions, non-septicaemia admissions and septicaemia mortality, non-septicaemia infection mortality, non-infection mortality. Using an unpaired t-test, Mann–Whitney U-test and logistic regression, they examined the associations between lupus flare-ups and mortality in different groups. In the SLE individuals, septicaemia links to increased lupus disease activity and is correlated with a greater risk of mortality than other causes of admission. In addition, fewer previous septicaemia admissions reduce the risk of septicaemia mortality.