PREVALENCE OF SELF-REPORTED PHYSICIAN-DIAGNOSED SYSTEMIC LUPUS-ERYTHEMATOSUS IN THE USA

The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of self-rep orted physician-diagnosed systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in the US A. During the conduct of an epidemiologic study of systemic sclerosis (scleroderma), 16 607 randomly selected telephone numbers in the conti nental USA were called to recruit controls. All potentially eligible w omen were asked 'Have you ever been told by a doctor that you have lup us or SLE'? Of 4034 women aged 18 and above who completed telephone sc reening, 15 stated they had a physician diagnosis of SLE, correspondin g to a prevalence of 372 cases per 100 000 (95% confidence intervals: 208, 614). After review of available medical records in six cases, how ever, the prevalence of 'validated' SLE was revised to 124 cases per 1 00 000 (95% confidence intervals: 40, 289). In conclusion, these data suggest that the prevalence of SLE in the USA may be up to three to 10 -fold greater than previously estimated. Based on 1990 census data, we would project that over 275 000 women aged 18 and above have SLE in t he USA.