CLINICAL FEATURES OF EARLY CASES OF SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS IN IRAQI PATIENTS

The clinical features of early cases of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in 67 (55 female and 12 male) patients are reported in a prospective study and its prevalence rate is calculated. The disease accounted for 0.67% of all medical admissions and it was the third most frequent inflammatory rheumatic disease. By comparison with rheumatoid arthritis and extrapolation of the data, the prevalence of SLE was one case per 1867 of the population, one per 1127 of the total female population and for women aged between 10 and 49 years it was one per 616. Multisystem involvement was noted in all patients. Our results were presented and compared with other studies. Significant differences between our study and others were noted with respect to alopoecia, mouth ulcers, pericarditis and pleurisy. Subclinical involvement of the liver was noted in 26% and of the lungs in 19%. Hepatomegaly was noted twice as often in younger compared with older patients. SLE is a disease with an apparently increasing prevalence in Iraq. There is a need for a greater awareness on the part of practising physicians and more widespread availability of sensitive laboratory tests for diagnosis of the disease.