Clinical evaluation of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus patients admitted in a tertiary care hospital of Bangladesh

Abstract

Background: Systemic Lupus Erythematosus is a rare connective tissue disorder. It causes considerable morbidity and mortality among affected patients. Objective: To present the demographic profiles and clinical features of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) patients admitted in Rajshahi Medical College Hospital Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study conducted on 31 Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) patients admitted in Rajshahi Medical College Hospital from July 2017 to December 2017 for a period of 6 months. Patients were diagnosed as having SLE on the basis of Revised American Rheumatism Association criteria. Results: A total 31 patients having SLE, 26 (83.9%) patients were female and 5 (16.1%) patients were male. Majority (77.4%) of the patients were young adults=30 years. All the patients had intermittent polyarthritis (100%). Other common presentations of them were skin lesions (83.9%), fever & constitutional symptoms (83.9%), hematological involvement (58.1%), ankle edema (32.3%), bed side proteinuria (32.3%), generalized swelling (29%). Antinuclear antibody (ANA) was positive among 29 patients (93.5%) and anti-double stranded DNA antibodies (anti ds DNA) was positive in 24 (77.4%) patients. Conclusion: Systemic Lupus Erythematous is a chronic disorder which affects the younger age group, mostly females. It not only causes increased morbidity but also reduce the quality of life. In clinical practice we should follow the ACR recommendation for testing ANA titer. And anti ds DNA antibodies have limited value in clinical correlation and in predicting disease flares and subset in SLE.