EDITORIAL - Do improved survival rates of patients with SLE reflect a global trend?

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Journal of Rheumatology

Oct 2008

Editorial

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Do Improved Survival Rates of Patients with Systemic Lupus

Erythematosus Reflect a Global Trend?

MAHMOUD ABU-SHAKRA, MD,

Professor of Medicine,

Head, Rheumatic Diseases Unit,

Department of Medicine D,

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Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic disease that affects

many organ systems and manifests a broad spectrum of laboratory and

clinical features. Clinically, it is generally a remitting/recurring

disease. While it is of mild severity in a significant number of

patients, it can be severe and refractory to therapy in others.

Mortality and survival rates are important outcome measures that have

long been the subject of research in SLE. Mortality studies have

addressed causes of death, survival rates, and standardized mortality

ratios (SMR), and have identified predictors associated with early and

late death1-3. The development of various valid and reproducible

outcome measures in SLE has been a major step in the exploration of

variables associated with morbidity and mortality in these patients.

The inclusion of the SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI), Systemic

Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC), British Isles Lupus

Activity Group, the Medical Outcome Study Short Form-36, and many

other variables as primary predictors associated with mortality

enables comparisons between prognostic studies from various centers

despite diversity in clinical manifestations of the disease.

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