Clinical and serological characteristics in 128 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Objective - To analyse the clinical and serological characteristics of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in the center of Tunisia. Methods - We studied 128 patients with SLE aged one to 73 years. Antinuclear antibodies (ANA) were detected by an immunofluorescence method. Anti-double-stranded DNA (anti-dsDNA) antibodies, anti-extractable nuclear antigen antibodies (anti-Sm, anti-SS-A, anti-SS-B and anti-RNP) and anti-cardiolipin (aCL of IgG, IgA and IgM isotypes) antibodies were detected by ELISA. Results - Malar rsah (71%) and anemia (71%) were the most commun clinical manifestations. Arthritis was seen in 62.5%. Severe kidney damage was observed in 39%. Pericarditis and pleuritis were observed in only 23%. Neurological manifestations (16%) were uncommun. Clinical manifestations of anti-phospholipid syndrome (SAPL) were observed in 15%. ANA were detected in 100%, anti-dsDNA in 76%, anti-Sm in 55.5%, anti-SS-A in 64%, anti-SS-B in 33.6%, anti-RNP in 49%. aCL of IgG, IgA and IgM isotypes were detected in 63.5%, 49% and 40.6% of the patients respectively. The only significant positive clinical associations were those of arthritis with anti-dsDNA antibodies (p = 0.022) and malar rash with anti-SS-A antibodies (p = 0.002). Conclusions - This study suggests that tunisians with SLE present, in general, a mild form of disease predominantly manifested by cutaneous, musculoskeletal and hematologic involvement but low prevalence of major organ damage. (C) 2002 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.