Objective: To determine the rate and nature of infection in a cohort of children with SLE.
Methods: Records of 70 children with SLE were reviewed for documentation of infections. All patients with infection seen between 1990 and 1998 were included. Data extracted comprised demographics and clinical features including the disease activity index (SLEDAI), detailed descriptions of therapy, and response to antibiotic therapy. Infections were identified and catagorized as class I (minor) or class II (major).
Results: A total of 29 patients (41%) had infections; 73% had class I and 27% had class II infections. The most common cause of class II infection was bacteremia (45%), while urinary tract infection was more frequent (38%) in class I infections. There was no association between the severity of infection and various potential risk factors.
Conclusion: Our data confirm that infection is common among children with SLE. There were no deaths directly related to infection.