Objective: The aim of our study was to investigate characteristics of late-onset lupus after 65 years compared to younger ones.
Method: Patients with lupus revealed after 65 years were investigated in four French hospitals between 1985 and 2013. Patients with 4 ACR criteria or more were included. Clinical and biological characteristics, prognosis, treatment, comorbidities were described retrospectively and compared to the cohort of 1000 lupus patients of Cervera et al.
Results: Eighteen patients were included (14 women and 4 men). The most frequent features were arthritis (13/18), skin involvement (9/18). Hemolytic anemia and thrombosis were more frequently found in elderly lupus (p<0.05). During evolution, only cutaneous involvement were less frequent than in young subjects (p <0.05). Corticosteroids were often used (16/18), but iatrogenic complications were frequent (10/16).
Conclusion: Diagnosis is difficult because of non-specific clinical features. Treatment needed a rigourous follow-up because of iatrogenic complications.
Keywords: follow-up; hematological complications; late-onset lupus.