Analysis on clinical features of elderly-onset systemic lupus erythematosus

Abstract

Objective To retrospectively analyze the clinical features of elderly-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Methods A total of 916 patients were enrolled in this retrospective study, and their clinical data were collected by the same methods in the past ten years (1999-2009) in fifteen hospitals in Jiangsu Province. Patients were divided into two groups based on the age of onset disease: control group and elderly group. The relationships between clinical features, immunology index and disease activity were analyzed in different age group. Results Among 916 SLE patients, 24 patients were selected in the elderly onset SLE group, and 892 patients were considered as the control group. The ratio of male/female, mortality rate, the number of complications were higher in elderly onset SLE group than those in the control group (all P<0.05), and discoid rash, thrombocytopenia, elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) level, abnormality of serum albumin were found more common in elderly onset SLE group than in control group (all P<0.05). The incidences of Malar rash and photosensitivity, antinuclear antibodies (ANA) positivity rate, anti-Sm antibodies positivity rate were lower in elderly onset SLE group than in control group (all P<0.05). The time of final diagnosis, mean time of onset to death, positive family history, oral ulcers, arthritis, serositis, nervous involvement, musculoskeletal disorder, renal involvement, elevated serum creatinine (Scr) level, leucopenia, hemolytic anemia, elevated proteinurine, Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) levels, anti-dsDNA antibodies positivity rate, decreased complement C3 level, SLEDAl score had no significant differences between the two groups. Conclusions There were many differences in the clinical features between the elderly onset SLE patients and the controls, and the mortality rate is higher in the elderly onset SLE patients, which should be pay more attention to in clinical medcine. Key words: Lupus erythematosus, systemic