CHILDHOOD SYSTEMIC LUPUS-ERYTHEMATOSUS IN SONGKLANAGARIND-HOSPITAL - A POTENTIAL UNIQUE SUBGROUP

Twenty systemic lupus erythematosus patients under the age of 16 who h ad attended the Pediatric Department of Songklanagarind Hospital in th e period 1985-1991 were reviewed retrospectively. The most common comp laints were fever, allopecia, malar rash and oedema. The girl/boy rati o was 2.3/1. There were many unusual presentations such as Stevens-Joh nson syndrome, psoriasis, rheumatoid nodules, papillitis and pseudotum or cerebri. Nephritis, haematological disorder and CNS involvement wer e found in 80, 50 and 35% respectively. All cases were positive for AN A. Sixty-five percent of cases had complications and mostly more than one. Common complications were infection, renal complication and side effects of chemotherapy. Five patients died because of renal failure, severe infections, cerebral infarction or GI bleeding.