Abstract
Objective: To evaluate the cutaneous manifestations of hospitalized patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE).
Design: A Retrospective Study.
Setting: Asir Central Hospital (ACH), Abha, Saudi Arabia.
Method: Admitted SLE patients from January 2012 to May 2017 were reviewed. The following data were documented: Personal characteristics, disease diagnosis and duration, comorbidities, cutaneous features, hospitalizations including indication, length and outcome of each admission.
Result: Two hundred seven SLE patients from January 2012 to May 2017 were admitted. Thirtyone patients had concomitant cutaneous manifestations. The age ranged from 13-78 years. Thirty (96.8%) were females. The average number of hospitalizations for all SLE patients was 2 +/- 1. The most common indication for hospitalization was musculoskeletal complaints in 15 (48%) patients, followed by hematological causes in 13 (42%), lupus nephritis in 11 (35%), and infection in one (3%) of cases.
Conclusion: The skin is commonly involved in SLE and should be always evaluated and controlled to minimize hospitalizations and improve the prognosis of SLE.