Epidemiological studies using multivariate analysis of risk factors in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) patients are essential to determinate survival and to demonstrate diagnosis and treatment strategies. OBJECTIVE: To analyse the risk factors of mortality in 509 SLE patients who were followed over a 27-year period (from 1974 to 2001) according to a standard protocol in a single centre. The first analysis consisted of the survival time from the date of diagnosis of SLE until the last contact or death. The second analysis consisted of the survival time from the date of diagnosis of SLE until the last contact or death of patients whose disease started before 16 years old compared to patients whose disease started after 16 years old. METHODS: The percentage of survival after 1, 5, 10 and 20 years were 96%, 88%, 80% and 75%. The risk factors for death in SLE patients were the absence of arthritis at diagnosis (p = 0.007; OR = 0.45; 95% IC = 0.25-0.8), the absence of chloroquine sulphate prescription (p = 0.0001; OR = 0.3; 95% CI = 0.2-0.5), the presence of hypertension (p = 0.002; OR = 2.2; 95% CI = 1.1-4.5), the presence of infections (p = 0.003; OR = 2.3; 95% CI = 1.3-4.1) and less than 16 years old at diagnosis (p = 0.004; OR = 2.6; 95% CI = 1.4-5.0). CONCLUSIONS: This paper presents an excellent survival in this cohort of 509 SLE patients. The percentage of survival after 1, 5, 10 and 20 years, respectively 96%, 88%, 80% and 75%, was similar to other studies.
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus; mortality; survival; risk factors
