Survival of patients with SLE admitted to an intensive care unit - A retrospective study
Date
2005
Authors
Whitelaw D.A.
Gopal R.
Freeman V.
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Abstract
We examined the demography, reasons for admission and cause of death in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients admitted to a medical intensive care unit (ICU) over a 7-year period. Fourteen patients were admitted during this period - all were female, 13 were of mixed ethnic ancestry and one a black South African. Of the 14 patients, 12 were admitted as a result of lupus activity, 2 had sepsis as the major cause of admission, although 5 other patients developed infection during their admission. Five patients had a generalised flare of their disease or progressive renal failure. Seven patients were admitted with a variety of lupus-related pathologies. In general the precise cause of death was difficult to determine. Of the 14 patients, 9 had impaired renal function on admission including 1 with sepsis and 1 of the survivors. Three patients (21%) survived, one with respiratory failure due to shrinking lung, a second with an acute flare of SLE and a third with pulmonary emboli. This study demonstrates that lupus in our community may produce life-threatening flares. Although cause of death was not always definitely identified, admission to the ICU was primarily due to active SLE and not sepsis or iatrogenic disease. © Clinical Rheumatology 2004.
Description
Keywords
cyclophosphamide, prednisone, adult, article, cause of death, clinical article, demography, disease activity, disease exacerbation, ethnic group, female, hospital admission, hospital patient, human, intensive care unit, kidney dysfunction, kidney failure, lung embolism, Negro, priority journal, respiratory failure, retrospective study, sepsis, South Africa, survival, systemic lupus erythematosus, Adolescent, Adult, Cause of Death, Female, Hospital Mortality, Humans, Intensive Care Units, Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic, Middle Aged, Patient Admission, Retrospective Studies, South Africa, Survival Rate
Citation
Clinical Rheumatology
24
3
24
3