Epidemiology

Some data concerning the epidemiology of SLE is given below (1):

• the highest reported incidence of SLE is in North America (23.2 per 100,000 person-years), and the lowest reported incidences are in Africa and the Ukraine (0.3 per 100,000 person-years) (2)
• in the UK, the incidence of SLE has been estimated to be 4.91 per 100,000 person-years. (3)
• the incidence is higher in women than in men. Reported sex ratios range from 2:1 to 15:1. (3)
• peak age of onset ranges from 30 to 70 years in women and between 50 and 70 years in men. (3)
• evidence suggests that prevalence of SLE in the UK is increasing (3)
• in UK, it is 2.5 times more common in South Asian and 5-6 times more common in Afro-Caribbean individuals (1)
• exacerbations may occur during pregnancy and menstruation
• there may be a past history of spontaneous abortion and thrombosis, and antiphospholipid syndrome

References:

1. Gordon C, Amissah-Arthur MB, Gayed M, et al. The British Society for Rheumatology guideline for the management of systemic lupus erythematosus in adults. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2017 Oct 6.
2. Rees F, Doherty M, Grainge MJ, et al. The worldwide incidence and prevalence of systemic lupus erythematosus: a systematic review of epidemiological studies. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2017 Nov 1;56(11):1945-61.
3. Rees F, Doherty M, Grainge M, et al. The incidence and prevalence of systemic lupus erythematosus in the UK, 1999-2012. Ann Rheum Dis. 2016 Jan;75(1):136-41.