Pulmonary involvement in juvenile systemic lupus erythematosus: a study onlung function in patients asymptomatic for respiratory disease

Pleuro-pulmonary involvement has been well recognized in adults affected wi th systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), but few studies have been carried ou t in children. A longitudinal study on a group of 15 children affected with juvenile SLE (JSLE), asymptomatic for lung disease, was performed and the prevalence and the features of respiratory function alterations, over a per iod of 12 months, were analysed. Moreover, a possible correlation between a ny pulmonary function test (PFT) and disease duration, disease activity, vi sceral involvement and immunological pattern was evaluated. At baseline, a significant functional lung impairment was present in 40% of patients, with a significantly reduced FVC, V-A and DLCO in 26% of them; in 60% of patien ts at 6 months and in 33% of patients at 12 months. At 6 and 12 months, our data did not show any significant modification in PFTs and the restrictive pattern, observed at baseline, remained unchanged. No correlation between altered PFTs and disease duration, activity and/or immunological findings w as found. At baseline, the presence of neurological involvement was the onl y extra-pulmonary feature correlated to reduced FVC.