Prevalence of physician-diagnosed systemic lupus erythematosus in the United States: results from the third national health and nutrition examination survey.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence of physician-diagnosed systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in a national population-based sample in the United States.


METHODS
Data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) were used to estimate the prevalence of self-reported physician-diagnosed SLE. Adult participants (age > or = 17; sample n = 20,050) were asked if they had been diagnosed with SLE by a physician. All medications currently being taken by survey participants were recorded. Two definitions were used to classify participants with SLE: self-reported physician diagnosis and self-reported physician diagnosis and a current prescription for antimalarials, corticosteroids, or other immunosuppressive medications.


RESULTS
The prevalence of SLE in adults age > or = 17 based on self-reported physician diagnosis was 241 per 100,000 (95% confidence interval [CI] 130-352). The prevalence of SLE in adults age > or = 17 based on self-reported physician diagnosis and current prescription for antimalarials, corticosteroids, or immunosuppressive medications was 53.6 per 100,000 (95% CI 12.2-95.0). Among adult women, the prevalence of treated SLE was 100 per 100,000 (95% CI 19.8-179.3).


CONCLUSIONS
Projecting a prevalence of 100 per 100,000 to the population of the United States, approximately 108,300 adult women had a self-reported physician diagnosis of SLE and were receiving specific treatment in 2000. This estimate is a reasonable lower boundary, as it does not include undiagnosed persons or those not being treated with antimalarials, corticosteroids, or immunosuppressive medications.
Ward
Michael M
MM
Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892-1828, USA.
D000293:Adolescent; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000592:standards*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D016387:Women's Health
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D000962:Antimalarials; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents