title: Late onset systemic lupus erythematosus: no substantial differences using different cut-off ages.
abstract: To compare the clinical, laboratory and immunological features of a group of Caucasian systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients in relation to age at disease onset. Three groups of patients with different ages at disease onset were analysed and compared: group A (30 patients, >or=65 years); group B (62 patients, 50-64 years) and group C (163 patients, <50 years). All patients were regularly followed-up for a mean period of 6.5 years. Female predominance was reduced in groups A and B. Time-lapse between disease onset and diagnosis was longer in group A and B. There were no statistically significant differences in clinical features. The only relevant difference was observed in peripheral nervous system (PNS) involvement, more frequent in group A. Anti-dsDNA and RF were more frequent in group A. Complement levels were reduced more frequently in group C. No differences were observed in disease activity scores, while SLICC/ACR score was higher in group A. In Caucasian SLE patients, age at disease onset is not associated with differences in clinical features apart from a more frequent PNS involvement in elderly patients. In the same group, the organ damage seems to develop more rapidly mostly due to higher susceptibility to jatrogenic side effects.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Rheumatology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Ferrara, Corso Giovecca 203, 44100 Ferrara, Italy. melipadovan@yahoo.it
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Padovan
authors.forename: Marcello
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Govoni
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Castellino
authors.forename: Nicoletta
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rizzo
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fotinidi
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Trotta
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000097:blood; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor / Q000097:blood; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D044465:White People
chemical_list: D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor