Epidemiology

Some data concerning the epidemiology of SLE is given below:

• overall prevalence is 12.5-78.5 cases per 100,000 population in Europe and the USA (1)
  • a study from Birmingham, UK has estimated the prevalence to be 27.7/100,000 in the general population (2)
• SLE is more common in women than men:
  • the ratio is 10:1 in the age range 18 to 65 yr
  • the ratio is 2:1 in the young and elderly
  • men tend to have less photosensitivity, more serositis, an older age at diagnosis, and a higher 1 year mortality compared to women
• in UK, it is 2.5 times more common in South Asian and 5-6 times more common in Afro-Caribbean individuals (1):
  • prevalence in white females age 18 to 65 yr is 1 per 1000 whilst in black females of similar age is 1 per 250
  • in addition, a marked ethnic variation in organ involvement is seen as well e.g. -in Afro-Caribbean patients there is an increased risk of renal disease while antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is less common when compared with Caucasians (1)
• usual age of onset is 16 to 55 years (65% of patients) while 20% present before age of 16, and 15% after the age of 55 (3)
• exacerbations may occur during pregnancy and menstruation
• there may be a past history of spontaneous abortion and thrombosis, the antiphospholipid syndrome

Reference:

• (1) Arthritis Research UK. Reports on Rheumatic Diseases. Topical Reviews No 2, spring 2013. Overview of management of systemic lupus erythematosus.
• (2) Manson JJ, Rahman A. Systemic lupus erythematosus. Orphanet J Rare Dis. 2006 Mar;1:6.
• (3) EULAR Textbook on Rheumatic Diseases. Chapter 20. Systemic Lupus Erythematosu: Pathogenesis and clinical features