title: Mild presentation of systemic lupus erythematosus in elderly patients assessed by SLEDAI. SLE Disease Activity Index.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) predominantly affects young patients. SLE starting in later life has a clinical presentation different than in younger patients. We have used the SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) to explore the relationship between age of onset and disease activity.
  
  
  METHODS
  We selected all patients controlled in our hospital at the moment of clinical diagnosis of SLE (100 patients; 85 females and 15 males). They were classified in two groups: those with early onset (>50 y) and those with late onset (>50 y) based on their age at the moment of clinical diagnosis of SLE.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 12 patients the onset of SLE was >50 y (10 females and two males; mean age 59 y). The early onset patients had significantly higher SLEDAI values at the presentation and during the first year of disease with respect to elderly patients. Antibodies to DNA and hypocomplementemia were detected more often in younger patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results confirm using SLEDAI, that the lupus of the elderly patients is a distinct clinical subgroup with a milder course of disease.
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine Service, Hospital de Bellvitge Princeps d'Espanya, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Formiga
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Moga
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pac
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mitjavila
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rivera
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pujol
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index