Clinical pattern of systemic lupus erythematosus in the Western region of Saudi Arabia

ABSTRACT

Forty adult patients diagnosed as systemic lupus erythematosus [SLE] were studied over a four-year period from 1989 to 1992 in Jeddah. Thirty eight were females [95%]. The mean age of onset of symptoms and at diagnosis was early twenties. The clinical presentation was not different from that observed elsewhere, but the constitutional symptoms were more marked and multisystem involvement was common in 36 cases [90%]. The outcome was excellent, having a low mortality of only one patient [2.5%]