title: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) at the Kenyatta National Hospital.
abstract: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex disease with varied clinical presentation and autoantibody production. It has previously been reported as rare in Black Africans. We established a Rheumatology clinic at the Kenyatta National Hospital in April 2010, and a 1 year audit of this clinic was carried out in September 2011. This is a report of this audit of patients who met the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria for SLE. Thirteen patients met the ACR criteria; their mean age was 34 years, and they were all female. The commonest manifestations were malar rash and arthritis in 69.2 %. Antinuclear antibody was present in 79.6 %, and anti-dsDNA was present in 38.5 %. None of them had human immunodeficiency virus infection; 30 % had other comorbidities (hypertension, diabetes, and renal failure). Thirty percent also had an infection during this period. All these 13 were on prednisolone and 92 % of them were on hydroxychloroquine. There was no reported death during the study period. This confirms the presence of SLE in patients in Kenya who meet the ACR criteria.
authors: Kenyatta National Hospital, P.O Box 20723, 00202 Nairobi, Kenya. etau@centreforrheumatic.co.ke
authors: Paul Etau
authors: PE
authors: Ekwom
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000097:blood; D001168:Arthritis / Q000175:diagnosis; D044383:Black People; D002648:Child; D003625:Data Collection; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D005076:Exanthema / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006886:Hydroxychloroquine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications; D007630:Kenya; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D008875:Middle Aged; D051437:Renal Insufficiency / Q000150:complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D006886:Hydroxychloroquine