Late-Onset Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

The study on late-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) analyzed 47 patients diagnosed at or over the age of 50 and compared them with 114 younger patients diagnosed before 50. It found that late-onset SLE had a lower female-to-male ratio, fewer cases of arthritis and malar rash, but more frequent occurrences of fever, pleuritis, and venous occlusion. Renal involvement and hypocomplementemia were less common, and high-dose corticosteroids and immunosuppressive drugs were used less frequently in older patients. The 5-year and 10-year survival rates were lower in the late-onset group (84% and 71%) compared to the early-onset group (95% for both). The study highlighted the distinct clinical and laboratory features of late-onset SLE and its lower prevalence in the elderly.