Infections and systemic lupus erythematosus

• Published in: Einstein (São Paulo, Brazil) Vol. 14; no. 1; pp. 47 - 51
• Main Authors: Skare, Thelma Larocca, Dagostini, Jéssica Scherer, Zanardi, Patricia Imai, Nisihara, Renato Mitsunori
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazil Instituto Israelita de Ensino e Pesquisa Albert Einstein 01-01-2016
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - therapeutic use; Antirheumatic Agents - therapeutic use; Brazil - epidemiology; Cyclophosphamide - therapeutic use; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Hospitals, University - statistics & numerical data; Humans; Imunossupressão; Incidence; Infecções urinárias/etiologia; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic - complications; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic - drug therapy; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic - epidemiology; Lúpus eritematoso sistêmico/complicações; Male; MEDICINE, GENERAL & INTERNAL; Middle Aged; Original; Photosensitivity Disorders - complications; Prednisone - therapeutic use; Respiratory Tract Infections - drug therapy; Respiratory Tract Infections - etiology; Retrospective Studies; Urinary Tract Infections - drug therapy; Urinary Tract Infections - etiology; Young Adult; Infecções urinárias/etiologia; systemic/complications; Imunossupressão; Immunosuppression; Urinary tract infection/etiology; Lupus eryithematosus; Lúpus eritematoso sistêmico/complicações
• ISSN: 1679-4508; 2317-6385; 2317-6385; 1679-4508
• DOI: 10.1590/S1679-45082016AO3490

To determine the incidence of infections in a population of systemic lupus erythematosus individuals and the characteristics of infections regarding original site, as well as to study the possible associations between infections and treatment.
An analytical retrospective study using data from medical charts of systemic lupus erythematosus patients from a single university hospital. A total of 144 patients followed up for five years were included. Data collected comprised age of patients and age at onset of lupus, sex and ethnicity, disease duration before the study period, medications, cumulative dose of prednisone, occurrence of infections and their original site.
The most frequent infections were urinary tract infections (correlated to use of prednisone - p<0.0001 and cyclophosphamide - p=0.045), upper airways infections (correlated to use of prednisone - p=0.0004, mycophenolate mofetil - p=0.0005, and cyclosporine - p=0.025), and pneumonia (associated to prednisone - p=0.017).
Prednisone was the drug more often associated with presence of infections, pointing to the need for a more judicious management of this drug.