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Systemic lupus erythematosus in South African blacks: prospective study
1Department of Dermatology, University of Pretoria, Republic of South Africa.
Background:
The aim of the study was to evaluate clinical and laboratory findings in black South African patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and to compare these with findings in a group of white patients.
Materials And Methods:
Forty black patients were studied. The group of exclusively white patients reported by Beutner et al. was used for comparison.
Results:
A decreased frequency of malar rash, photosensitivity, and hematologic involvement was found in black patients. They had anti-Sm and anti-nRNP antibodies and low complement more often than white patients with SLE in Beutner et al. group.
Conclusions:
More differences have been noted in laboratory than in clinical parameters and findings reported in African-Americans with SLE have been confirmed in black Africans. Ethnic factors may play a role in the symptomatology of SLE.