Is organ damage more common in early lupus?

Investigators may have provided insights into patterns of organ damage experienced in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

In the study published in Lupus Science & Medicine, investigators used data from the Spanish Society of Rheumatology Lupus Registry to examine organ damage among 4,219 patients with lupus.

The investigators revealed that organ damage occurred most frequently within the first year following lupus diagnosis. For instance, 20% of the patients developed new organ damage after 1 year compared with 5% after 5 years. The most prevalent types of organ damage during early-stage disease were musculoskeletal, neuropsychiatric, renal and cardiovascular compared with musculoskeletal, ocular and cardiovascular during late-stage disease. The most affected systems involved the musculoskeletal system followed by the cardiovascular system, which included cerebrovascular accidents and claudication. Further, early organ damage was associated with an increased risk of mortality.

The findings demonstrated that implementing early interventions, controlling lupus activity and minimizing glucocorticoid exposure could help prevent long-term organ damage and cardiovascular risk factors in this patient population.

Read more: Lupus Science & Medicine

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