Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) in the Eastern Region of Saudi Arabia: A Comparative Study
August 2013
in “
Lupus
”
TLDR SLE patients in eastern Saudi Arabia have a generally good prognosis despite multi-organ involvement.
This retrospective study analyzed the clinical and laboratory data of 46 systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients from King Fahd Hospital Al-Hasa in eastern Saudi Arabia, collected between January 2004 and December 2008. The average age of onset was 26.17 years. Common symptoms included fever, fatigue, and malaise (95.7%), arthralgias (91.3%), and arthritis (76.1%). Nephritis and hypertension were present in 58.7% and 52.2% of patients, respectively. Mucocutaneous symptoms like oral ulcers (71.7%) and hair loss (65.2%) were also noted. Neurologic issues included psychosis (17.4%) and depression (15.2%). Hematologic issues were primarily leukopenia (58.7%). Antinuclear antibodies were positive in 95.7% of patients. Treatment involved NSAIDs, antimalarials, steroids, and immunosuppressive drugs. The study found differences in age of onset and sex distribution compared to other regions, but similar clinical manifestations, with an overall good prognosis despite multi-organ involvement. Further studies with larger patient numbers were recommended.