[Outcome of patients with chronic systemic lupus erythematosus]

We analyzed data on 69 Japanese patients who had been affected with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) for more than 10 years to clarify the clinical and social features of the chronic phase of this disease. There were 3 men and 66 women. Mean age at disease onset was 24.3 years, and the mean duration of disease was 17.4 years. In these patients, the mean number of relapses was 1.5, and the mean duration of the relapse was 4.7 years. These patients were receiving prednisolone at a mean dosage of 9.2 mg/day. While only 4 patients were thought to be in the active disease stage at the time of evaluation, hypercholesterolemia was present in 33.3% (20 patients out of 60) and 64. 3% (27 patients out of 42) showed a decrease in bone mineral content by DEXA method. Ten patients out of 69 patients (14.5%) had aseptic necrosis of the head of the femur (ANF). ANF was related to the relapse and the administration of immunosuppressant in the initial therapy. Seventeen female patients had gotten married after the onset of SLE and 14 patients became pregnant and gave birth. Of the 9 deaths that occurred, only 3 cases were thought to be due to SLE. Two patients died suddenly, and there was 1 case of acute heart failure. Mean age at death was 39.8 years old. However, data suggest that many patients in the chronic phase of SLE may have a reasonably high quality of life, despite the disease.