Child with lupus

  • In contrast to other autoimmune diseases, there is universally no maximum age up to when pediatric SLE rather than adult SLE is diagnosed. The disease onset is much more aggressive with a higher frequency of major organ involvement at the time of diagnosis.
  • Lupus presents in childhood in 15% – 20% of cases. SLE is rare in children although around 20% of all cases of SLE will have onset before adulthood.
  • The incidence of  cSLE  is  reported  to  be  630  per  100 000  children  per  year.
  • In cSLE, the female to male ratio is around 5 :1 in contrast to the 9 :1 ratio seen in adults.
  • Five year survival is currently between 90% and 95%.
  • Aggressive  treatment  with high dose of immunosuppressive therapy along with corticosteroids are needed.