Secondly, although this study was conducted in a well-characterised lupus population, with the inclusion of low-stage disease patients and exclusion of patients with other clinical conditions, given it is impossible to discontinue treatment strategies for a period prior to sampling, it can be argued that lymphopaenia or altered serum albumin levels could be caused by immunosuppressive agents rather than lupus. This evidence concerns the gene ALB and systemic lupus erythematosus.