Impact of Sex on Infection Risk in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology
• Infectious Disease Epidemiology
• Sex-Based Medicine

Background:

• Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease with diverse clinical and immunological presentations.
• SLE predominantly affects women (9:1 ratio), particularly of childbearing age.
• SLE patients have increased infection susceptibility, but sex-specific risks are understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the influence of biological sex on infection risk in patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE).
• To identify sex-specific disparities in infection susceptibility and patterns within the SLE population.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective study analyzing 119 SLE patients (107 female, 12 male).
• Infectious episodes categorized by severity and linked to patient sex, disease duration, and treatment.
• Logistic regression analysis used to determine odds ratios (OR) for infection risk factors, adjusting for confounders.

Main Results:

• Males had a significantly shorter disease duration than females.
• Male sex was significantly associated with increased infection risk (OR 5.675, p=0.0127).
• SS-A antibodies correlated significantly with infection rate (r=0.291, p=0.003).

Conclusions:

• Male SLE patients exhibit a substantially higher risk of infections compared to females.
• Differential infection patterns (pneumonia in males, UTIs in females) suggest sex-specific immunological and hormonal influences.
• Tailored clinical management and increased vigilance for infections in male SLE patients are recommended.