Résumé
To analyze the characteristics of the main clinical and immunological manifestations of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus [SLE] in 39 patients from Aleppo University Hospital and comparison with 4 other Arab SLE studies. Patients were consecutively seen in our department between 2007 and 2010. The clinical and serologic characteristics of all patients were consecutively collected in a protocol form. There were 32 females and 7 males with female to male ratio 4.5: 1, and a mean age of 25.7 years [range 14-54] years. The most common disease manifestations were hematological abnormalities [79.5%], cardiac manifestations [79.5%], and general symptoms [74.4%]. The most common hematological abnormalities is anemia [71.8%]. The most common cardiac manifestations is valvular lesions [59%] and the most common valvular lesions is mitral valve lesions [38.5%]. The most common general symptoms is fever [69.2%]. The prevalence of mucocutaneous manifestations was [67%]; with most common malar rash [51.1%]. Neuropsychiatric manifestations were found in 33.3%; with most common epilepsy [15.4%]. Lupus nephritis was found in 59% with most common type in renal biopsy according to the WHO classification was class II [33.3%]. Pulmonary manifestations were found in 53.8%; with most common pleural effusion [46.2%]. Thrombotic lesions were found in 30.8%; with most common DVT [15.4%]. Anti-nuclear antibodies were detected in 92.3%, anti-double stranded DNA antibodies in 51.3%, anti-Sm antibodies in 32.4%, anti-Ro antibodies in 45.9%. Anti-cardiolipin IgM and Lupus anticoagulant were detected in 7.7 and 33.3%, respectively. Low C3 was observed in 65.6%. 10.3% of the patients died. The comparison between our findings and 4 other Arab SLE groups revealed a higher incidence of males and lymphopenia, hemolytic anemia, low C3, pleural effusion, pericardial effusion and lupus nephritis, and a lower incidence of discoid rash, arthritis, alopecia, anti-DNA antibodies and anticardiolipin