The measurement of IFN pathway activation used here, based on Type I IFN-induced chemokine concentrations, has not been validated in Asian SLE patients and it remains possible that an alternative measure of Type I IFN pathway activation, such as transcriptomal analysis, would reveal associations between Type I IFN activation and increased PAD in Asian SLE patients. This evidence concerns the gene IFNA1 and systemic lupus erythematosus.