title: Incidence and clinical-laboratory aspects of systemic lupus erythematosus in a Southern brazilian city.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Brazilian epidemiological studies on systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are scarce, and currently available data originate almost entirely from international literature.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the incidence and some clinical and laboratory characteristics of patients with SLE in the municipality of Cascavel, state of Paraná, Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected from August 2007 to July 2008 in all health services of Cascavel providing health care in rheumatology: a university-affiliated hospital, a public outpatient clinic, and three private clinics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study identified 14 patients diagnosed with SLE, which resulted in an estimated incidence of 4.8 cases/100,000 inhabitants/year. All patients were female, and the mean age was 41.5 years. The highest incidence of disease occurred between 30 and 39 years of age, and 92.8% of patients met at least four of the 11 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria for diagnosis of SLE. The drug treatment of patients was also assessed and proved to be in accordance with the Brazilian Consensus for Treatment of SLE.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The incidence obtained in the municipality of Cascavel is close to those reported in international studies.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Parana – UNIOESTE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carlos Alberto Kenji
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Nakashima
authors.forename: Ana Paula
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Galhardo
authors.forename: Jackeline Ferreira Marinho da
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Gracielle Rodrigues
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Fiorenzano
authors.forename: Anelyse Bozzo da Silva Dos
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: Manoel Fernando Silva
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Leite
authors.forename: Marcio Augusto
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Nogueira
authors.forename: Poliana Vieira da Silva
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Menolli
authors.forename: Rafael Andrade
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Menolli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014504:Urban Health; D055815:Young Adult