[Prognosis and treatment of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus in different age groups]

The paper is concerned with observation over 470 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) admitted to the Institute of Rheumatology, Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR, since December 1958 to December 1983. Women (453) with a disease onset at 10 to 55 years (355 had associated SLE and nephritis, 155 presented with SLE without nephritis) accounted for the absolute majority of cases. Comparison of the disease clinical picture in 2 groups of patients, who had fallen ill at 14 to 24 years (278 subjects) and at 40 to 55 years (25 subjects) revealed a graver clinical picture in the group of patients, who had fallen ill at a younger and (nephritis in 82% against 56% in the group of older patients) and a considerably less survival as compared to the group of older patients despite more intensive care including pulse-therapy with methyl prednisolone.