title: [Systemic lupus erythematosus in the elderly].
abstract: Late-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) usually appears in patients older than 65 years and has clinical features different from the classical form observed in younger patients. In the elderly, SLE represents 10-20% of all SLE cases, shows a different and less aggressive clinical evolution and the first manifestations are non-specific. A significantly higher incidence of late-onset SLE in males, and the fact that postmenopausal women have a more benign disease, suggests that the estrogenic status may influence the activity of the disease. Owing to the insidious onset and the non-specific clinical manifestations on presentation, there is commonly a delayed diagnosis of late-onset SLE. Furthermore, the presence of comorbidities and concomitant therapies in elderly patients may limit the therapeutic options for SLE. The treatment of choice of joint symptoms and serositis includes non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and low-dose steroids for short periods. In addition to the need for adopting a multidisciplinary approach, it is fundamental to obtain information about the functional, cognitive and social status of these patients in order to make appropriate healthcare decisions.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Geriatría, Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Clínic, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Universidad de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. xavbosch@clinic.ub.es
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Bosch
authors.forename: Francesc
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Formiga
authors.forename: Alfonso
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: López-Soto
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male