ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the clinical features of osteonecrosis of the knee (ONK) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).Methods A retrospective chart review was conducted to identify patients of SLE with ONK.The clinical characteristics of these patients were analyzed.Results Between 2008 and 2013,eighty-one patients with SLE were analyzed in the 210th Hospital of People's Liberation Army.Eleven of these patients were diagnosed as ONK.All of these ONK patients were female.The age of onset ranged from 19-57 (36±13) years.The disease duration ranged from 4.5-31.0 (13±6) years.The local clinical symptom included knee swelling with pain in 5 cases,only pain with no swelling in 1 patient,no symptoms in 5 patients.All patients were with aseptic necrosis of the femoral head.For laboratory examination,7 patients had elevated triglyceride lipids in blood.Three of 7 patients accompanied with cholesterol level increased.Total cumulative dosage of oral corticosteroids was (66 824±27 328) mg.Conclusion ONK in patients of SLE is common and the majority of them have impaired renal function and elevated blood lipids,as well as long-term glucocortico-steroid therapy.