Demographics and clinical manifestations of lupus patients: experience from a private hospital in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Background: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by a chronic pattern of relapses and remissions, with variable presentations ranging from mild skin manifestations to severe, life-threatening illness. The disease is multisystematic, with the most severe complications related to the kidneys and nervous system. Among the SLE manifestations, lupus nephritis is common, observable in approximately 40% of SLE patients. This study, conducted at a private hospital in Saudi Arabia, aimed to evaluate the demographic characteristics, clinical presentations, and laboratory results of patients with SLE. Methods: This retrospective study involved 105 SLE patients who were seen in the rheumatology clinic at the Specialized Medical Center in Riyadh from 2007 to 2022. The medical records of the patients were reviewed for patient demographics, clinical and serological characteristics, and therapeutic data. Results: The largest proportion (34.3%) was aged between 31 and 40 years. Female dominancy was found, as females represented 91 patients (86.7%). Joint involvement was found to be the most affected organ in the majority of the patients, accounting for 80 patients (76.2%), while the least affected organ was the heart, with cardiac manifestations present in 7 patients (6.7%). Conclusion: The majority of patients (95.2%) displayed a positive antinuclear antibody test, and more than one-half of the patients (68.6%) displayed positive anti-double stranded DNA. The most reported medication was hydroxychloroquine in 104 patients (99%), followed by steroids in 89 patients (84.8%).