Is SLE a Significant Cause of Death Among Females?

There are many diseases that females, especially younger females, need to be aware and cognizant of. However, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) might not be the first disease you would normally think of. Although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) uses various data to compile its annual ranking of leading causes of death based on a selected list of 113 causes, SLE was not one of them. In this study published in Arthritis & Rheumatology, researchers aimed to assess if SLE is a significant cause of death among females. 

A&R Editor’s Pick: Lupus – An Unrecognized Leading Cause of Death in Young Women https://t.co/NCwgY0xasf pic.twitter.com/zEfN8mPjfH

— American College of Rheumatology (@ACRheum) August 13, 2018

For the study, researchers collected the death counts for the female population of the U.S., obtained from the CDC’s Wide‐ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research database. The death counts were then grouped by age and race/ethnicity. In order to obtain data on the leading causes of death, researchers accessed the Web‐based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System database. 

Brief Report: #Lupus—An Unrecognized Leading Cause of Death in Young Females: A Population‐Based Study Using Nationwide Death Certificates, 2000–2015https://t.co/W6rxoPXzPB @ACRheum pic.twitter.com/TPRzNxYKOV

— Juan Ovalles MD, PhD (@DrJuanOvalles) August 13, 2018

#SLE is a leading cause of death in young women. New understanding, better treatments, and potential cures are desperately needed for these patients. #lupus https://t.co/S7t8Gdk2La

— Waggoner Lab (@LabWaggoner) August 13, 2018

Results of the study showed that during 2000–2015, there were 28,411 deaths of females with SLE recorded as an underlying or contributing cause of death, with SLE ranking among the top 20 leading causes of death in females between 5 and 64 years of age. “SLE is among the leading causes of death in young females, underscoring its impact as an important public health issue,” the researchers concluded. 

FYI, #Lupus is among the leading causes of death in young females https://t.co/SDvnqcm0Yb @LupusResearch

— Meg Anderson Brooks (@MegLAnderson) August 9, 2018

For more about SLE, check out an article on silent myocardial impairment in patients with new onset drug‐naïve SLE.  

SOURCE: Arthritis & Rheumatology