Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic (SLE)
Basics
Basics
Basics
Description
Description
Description
- Multisystem autoimmune inflammatory disorder with variable presentation, disease course, and prognosis
- May manifest in any organ system, especially dermatologic, renal, hematologic, musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, pulmonary, immunologic, and reproductive
- Synonyms: systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), lupus
Epidemiology
Epidemiology
Epidemiology
Incidence
- Overall incidence in United States is 5 to 7 per 100,000 person-years.
- Significant variation based on ethnicity: black 16.0, American Indian/Alaska Native 7.4, Hispanic 5.6, Asian/Pacific Islander 4.6, white 3.3 per 100,000 person-years
- Strong female predominance compared to male: 9.8 versus 0.8 per 100,000 person-years (about 12-fold higher)
- Peak incidence in females ranges from 3rd to 7th decades of life.
- Peak incidence in males later, from 5th to 7th decades of life
Prevalence
- Overall prevalence in United States ranges from 70 to 100 cases per 100,000.
- Increasing due to better recognition and increased survival
- Highest prevalence in black women: 498 per 100,000
- Strong female predominance compared to male: 179 versus 21 cases per 100,000 (about 9-fold higher)
Etiology and Pathophysiology
Etiology and Pathophysiology
Etiology and Pathophysiology
Complex and multifactorial: Genetic, environmental, immunoregulatory, hormonal, and epigenetic factors all play a role in pathogenesis.
Genetics
- More than 30 susceptibility loci for SLE in genome-wide association studies
- Heritability, the proportion of phenotypic variance explained by genetics, between 40% and 70%
- Previous criteria from American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC) still used widely in clinical practice
Risk Factors
Risk Factors
Risk Factors
- Ethnicity: highest risk in black populations; intermediate risk in Asian, Hispanic, and American Indian/Alaska Native populations
- Hormonal: female sex, early menarche, endometriosis, surgical menopause, earlier age at menopause
- Family history of SLE or other autoimmune disease
- Environmental: cigarette smoking, crystalline silica exposure, exogenous female hormones, certain medications (drug-induced lupus)
Commonly Associated Conditions
Commonly Associated Conditions
Commonly Associated Conditions
- Antiphospholipid syndrome
- Depression
- Fibromyalgia
- Thyroid disease
- Overlap connective tissue disease syndromes: rheumatoid arthritis (RA), Sjögren syndrome, systemic sclerosis, polymyositis, dermatomyositis
There's more to see -- the rest of this topic is available only to subscribers.
© 2000–2024 Unbound Medicine, Inc. All rights reserved