Autoantibodies in Pediatric Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Cluster Analysis and Its Clinical Implications in Indian Children

The study on pediatric Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (pSLE) in Indian children involved 212 newly diagnosed patients and used cluster analysis to identify patterns in autoantibody profiles. Three distinct clusters were identified, each associated with specific clinical manifestations such as hair loss, oral ulcers, arthritis, neurological symptoms, renal issues, and autoimmune hemolytic anemia. The findings suggest that testing for a comprehensive range of autoantibodies at diagnosis can help predict the clinical course of pSLE and identify patients at risk for major organ involvement.