Early-onset Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: a case series presentation
Abstract
Early-onset systemic lupus erythematosus refers to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) diagnosed before the age of 18 years, with a particular focus on onset prior to 5 years of age. Its frequency has been described in 5% of cases, and its diagnosis can be challenging. We describe the clinical, serological, treatment, and outcome data of 5 patients diagnosed at our pediatric care center. Among the 5 reported cases, the marked predominance of females is striking, which is inconsistent with previously reported cases. Our patients were predominantly characterized by constitutional symptoms, fever, and neurological, renal, and hematological involvement, similar to other cases published in the literature. We believe that timely diagnosis can be challenging in this age group and that differential diagnoses should include inborn errors of the immune system, lupus in its monogenic presentation, and oncohematological disorders, for which a genetic study would be ideal.
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