Impact of gender on clinical presentation and laboratory parameters in patients with systemic Lupus erythematosus

Cakici, A. T. The influence of gender on clinical and laboratory manifestations in patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. Eskisehir Osmangazi University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Eskisehir, 2025. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease of unknown etiology, characterized by immunological abnormalities and involvement of multiple organ systems. It is more commonly observed between the ages of 20 and 40. This disease is nine times more prevalent in women than in men. The severity of the disease, response to treatment and prognosis may vary according to gender. The aim of this study is to investigate whether gender has an impact on the differences observed at the time of diagnosis and during the course of SLE, and to compare male and female patients with SLE followed in our clinic, both clinically and laboratory-wise, in order to identify the differences observed throughout the course of the disease. Data of 404 patients were evaluated retrospectively. 88% (n=355) of the patients were female and 12% (n=49) were male. The average age at diagnosis was found to be 32.8 years for females and 36 years for males. In our study, it was specifically observed that lupus nephritis, serositis, and venous thrombosis were more frequently seen in males compared to females at the time of diagnosis. In laboratory tests, especially elevated levels of anti-dsDNA were more frequently detected in male patients. Although the treatment of the disease varies depending on its severity and organ involvement, all of our patients were using hydroxychloroquine as the first-line treatment. It was found that all treatments, except for hydroxychloroquine, were used more frequently in male patients. As the mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of the disease are elucidated, a better understanding of the impact of gender on the disease process will likely lead to the discovery of more effective treatments.