ABSTRACT
To describe the clinical features, laboratory diagnosis, treatment and course of systemic lupus erythematosus [SLE] as seen in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Retrospective study. Rheumatology Unit, Hera General Hospital, Makkah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Patients fulfilling the "revised 1982 American College of Rheumatology [ACR] criteria for SLE" were included. The clinical features, laboratory investigations and radiological findings were recorded. Drug treatment comprised of prednisone, chloroquine, azathioprine and non-steriodal anti-inflamatory drugs [NSAID] singly or in combination. Cyclophosphamide pulses were given to patients with major organ involvement. Atotal of 54 patients were enrolled in our study. Fifty three [98.1%] were female. The female versus male ratio was 53:1. The mean age at diagnosis was 30.08 years [ +/- 10.09 SD] and the range was 10-59 years. 96.3% patients were Saudis, whereas 3.7% were non-Saudis. The main features were: malar rash [22.22%], discoid rash [5.6%], photosensitivity [24.1%], oral ulcers [42.6%], alopecia [29.6%], arthritis [35.2%], serositis [16.7%], renal disorders [42.6%], neuropsychiatric disorders [33.33%], hematological disorder [68.51%], immunological disorders [85.19%] and positive antinuclear antibodies in 87% cases. The course and presentation of SLE in our study was comparable to that seen in earlier studies from the Arabian Peninsula. However, in our series, the incidence of arthritis was lower and that of oral ulcers was higher than reported. The major age group affected by SLE was 30-39 years. Extreme female preponderance and high number of patients per year were the main demographic characteristics of our study