Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and associated features of cutaneous manifestations in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) as well as to evaluate whether cutaneous manifestations are predictors of the occurrence of other clinical manifestations. Material and Methods: SLE patients from 34 centers in nine Latin American countries with a recent diagnosis (≤ 2 years) were studied. Socioeconomic-demographic characteristics and clinical features according to the presence of cutaneous manifestations were examined by univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses. Their predictive value for the occurrence of other clinical manifestations was also examined. Results: Of the 1480 patients included, 93.7% had cutaneous manifestations, 91.0% of them occurred before the diagnosis of SLE. Cutaneous manifestations occurred more frequently in women (90.5% vs. 80.6%, p = 0.002), and in those with systemic (83.1% vs 69.9%, p = 0.002) and musculoskeletal manifestations (93.5% vs. 83.9%, p = 0.002) and anti-Ro antibody positivity (52.5% vs. 31.7%, p = 0.015) but less frequently in those with pleuropulmonary involvement (27.5% vs. 43.0%, p = 0.002). Cutaneous manifestations were protective of the subsequent occurrence of pleuropulmonary (OR 0.519, 95% CI 0.372-0.724) and hematological (OR 0.621, 95% CI 0.440-0.876) manifestations. Conclusions: Cutaneous manifestations occur frequently and early in SLE. They were associated with female gender, the presence of systemic and musculoskeletal manifestations and anti-Ro antibody positivity. They were protective of the development pleuropulmonary and hematologic manifestations.

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