Ashik Hassan, Jijith Krishnan, M. A. Andrews
BACKGROUND Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a multisystem autoimmune disease characterised by the production of multiple autoantibodies. There is limited available data regarding the presentation patterns of SLE in central Kerala and this is important in generating epidemiological data and also to plan further genetic and serological studies in this population. The study primarily involved the presentation patterns of SLE admitted at a medical college, Kerala, from June 2011 to June 2012. MATERIALS AND METHODS An observational cross-sectional and invasive biopsy study was carried out on 40 SLE patients aged 13-50, fulfilling the ACR criterion. The data were analysed using the EPI-INFO statistical package, Chi-square test and p-value. RESULTS The commonest presentation found was fever followed by polyarthritis and Lupus Nephritis (LN). In patients with LN, class IV was common followed by class III, class II and class V. Most of the patients had high SLEDAI at presentation with a mean SLEDAI of 17. Autoimmune haemolytic anaemia was present in 22.5%, secondary antiphospholipid antibody syndrome in 20% and neuropsychiatric lupus in 15%. Anti-dsDNA positivity was documented in 97.5% of the patients in this study. CONCLUSION In our study, SLE was found more common in females in their third decade. The commonest pattern of the presentation was fever followed by polyarthritis and renal involvement. The incidence of oral ulcers, haematological abnormalities and proteinuria manifestations was high in this region compared to rest of India and western data.
