Pediatric systemic lupus erythematosus: Retrospective analysis of clinico-laboratory parameters and their association with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index score

OBJECTIVES: To elucidate the clinico-laboratory characteristics associated with pediatric systemic lupus erythematosus (pSLE) patients with higher Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) score in a retrospective cohort of pSLE patients. METHODS: A retrospective study involving 32 pSLE patients was conducted at Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia between 2006 and 2017. RESULTS: Within the group of 32 pSLE patients, 23 were girls and 9 were boys (3:1 ratio). The most common symptom was renal disorder (n=21; 65.6%) followed by malar rash (n=9; 28.1%), oral ulcers (n=7; 21.9%), prolonged fever (n=5; 15.6%) and arthritis (n=4; 12.5%). Antinuclear antibodies (ANA) were detected in all patients and 25 patients (78.1%) were positive for anti-double stranded DNA (anti-dsDNA) antibodies. Eighteen (56.3%) patients had active SLE (SLEDAI ≥6), and these patients were significantly associated with heavy pyuria (p=0.004), a high ANA concentration (1:160; p=0.040, 1:320; p=0.006), elevated ESR (p=0.006), low C3 levels (p=0.008), oral ulcers (p=0.010), heavy hematuria (p=0.017) and heavy proteinuria (p=0.017), lupus erythematosus (LE)-nonspecific lesion manifestations (p=0.019) and malar rash (p=0.044). CONCLUSION: Pediatric systemic lupus erythematosus patients with higher SLEDAI score were most significantly associated with pyuria, high ANA titers, and elevated ESR.