From the Research
The average age of diagnosis for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is approximately 33.6 years, as reported in a study published in 2017 1. This study, which included 598 SLE patients, found that the mean age of diagnosis was 33.6 ± 14.3 years, with a median disease duration of 13 years. The patients were classified into three groups according to their ages at disease diagnosis: adult-onset (aSLE), late-onset (lSLE), and childhood-onset (cSLE). Some key findings from this study include:
- The female to male ratio was higher in aSLE (18:1) compared to the other groups (p = 0.001)
- Arthritis was predominantly found in aSLE (78.5%) when compared with lSLE (57.7%) (p < 0.001)
- Nephritis was more common in cSLE (60.6%) than in lSLE (26.6%) (p < 0.001) Other studies have also reported similar findings, with the average age of diagnosis ranging from 15 to 44 years, and the peak age of onset occurring around 20 to 30 years of age 2, 3, 4, 5. However, the study published in 2017 1 provides the most recent and highest quality evidence, and its findings should be prioritized when determining the average age of diagnosis for SLE. It's worth noting that lupus can develop at any age, including childhood and later adulthood, and the diagnosis often takes time to establish because lupus symptoms can mimic many other conditions and may develop gradually. Early symptoms like fatigue, joint pain, and skin rashes might be attributed to other causes before the characteristic pattern of lupus emerges, and the delay between symptom onset and diagnosis averages 2-3 years in many cases. This timing reflects the complex nature of lupus as an autoimmune disease where the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissues, causing inflammation and damage to various body systems including joints, skin, kidneys, heart, lungs, blood vessels, and brain. Some of the key factors that influence the age of onset and diagnosis of SLE include:
- Demographic characteristics, such as sex and age
- Clinical manifestations, such as arthritis and nephritis
- Laboratory findings, such as serologies and other laboratory tests
- Medication use, such as glucocorticoids and immunosuppressants Overall, the average age of diagnosis for SLE is approximately 33.6 years, and the disease can develop at any age, with a complex interplay of factors influencing the age of onset and diagnosis.