RESEARCH - Damage and mortality in a group of British patients with SLE followed up for over 10 years

[Guest guest]

Rheumatology Advance Access originally published online on April 9, 2009

Rheumatology 2009 48(6):673-675; doi:10.1093/rheumatology/kep062

Damage and mortality in a group of British patients with systemic

lupus erythematosus followed up for over 10 years

Sharon A. Chambers1, 2, Anisur Rahman1 and Isenberg1

1Department of Medicine, The Centre for Rheumatology, University

College London and 2The London School of Hygiene and Tropical

Medicine, London, UK.

Abstract

Objective. To study damage accrual and mortality in British patients

with SLE under long-term follow-up for >10 years.

Methods. We analysed the clinical records of 232 patients with SLE who

had at least 10 years of consistent follow-up at University College

London Hospital (UCLH). We noted their SLICC/ACR Damage Index (SDI)

scores and category of damage at 1 year post-diagnosis of SLE and

every 5 years thereafter. For patients who had died, we determined the

year and cause of death.

Results. Ninety per cent of patients had no damage at 1 year

post-diagnosis of SLE; however by year 10, 50% had accrued some

damage. Damage accrual was mostly in the neuropsychiatric, renal and

musculoskeletal categories. An increase in damage score was associated

with a higher risk of death overall. Forty-four patients died during

the period of follow-up. Sepsis, cancer and organ failure (cardiac,

renal and liver) were the main causes of death in this group of

patients.

Conclusions. Damage accrual is associated with an increased risk of

mortality. Infections remain an important cause of death in patients

with SLE.

http://rheumatology.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/48/6/673?etoc

Not an MD