Less disease severity and favorable prognosis are associated with postmenopausal systemic lupus erythematosus patients.
The aim of this study is to characterize the clinical manifestations of postmenopausal systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. Of the 699 SLE inpatients, 20 postmenopausal and 70 menstruous SLE patients were evaluated and compared for the clinical manifestations. The mean age of onset was 55.05 years (range from 42 to 66) with a peak of 50-60 in postmenopausal lupus patients. The average time from SLE onset to diagnosis was 2.18 years. Arthritis was the most frequent initial manifestation in the postmenopausal group. Other common clinical manifestations and laboratory abnormalities include lassitude, fever, alopecia, malar rash, cardiac impairment and weight loss, and elevated ESR, decreased C3, ANA >or= 1:80, hypergammaglobulinemia and anti-RNP antibody positive. Compared with menstruous lupus patients, postmenopausal patients were more likely to have weight loss (P < 0.01), myalgia and myasthenia (P < 0.01), and less likely to have malar rash (P < 0.05), renal involvement (P < 0.01), leukocytopenia (P < 0.05) and positive ANA (P < 0.01). Thus, less disease severity and favorable prognosis were associated with postmenopausal SLE patients. Misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis were easy to make with their non-specific symptoms with fewer features suggestive of diagnosis.
Deng
Xiao Li
XL
Rheumatology and Immunology Department, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
Liu
Xiang Yuan
XY
D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D003176:Complement C3 / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause; D011379:Prognosis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors; D005719:gamma-Globulins / Q000276:immunology
D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D003176:Complement C3; D005719:gamma-Globulins