Subgrouping SLE - a New Approach to Understand the Pathogenesis and Improve Treatment

The clinical base for this application is a series of cross-sectional studies, performed every 10 years, including all consenting SLE patients at Rheumatology Karolinska. The first studies were initiated 1995-99, with second follow-up 2004-14. Since 2015, a third follow-up of prevalent and new cases is ongoing (presently comprising 400 patients, inclusions have been temporarily slowed by the Covid-19 pandemic). Very detailed clinical characterization, lifestyle questionnaires, together with results from carotid ultrasound and bone mineral density measures have been tabulated. General disease activity as well as features of lupus nephritis, and detailed autoantibody profiles are recorded at inclusion. Samples (plasma, serum, DNA, urine and saliva) are stored. We have a common database for the three cross-sectional studies. The total number of well-characterized SLE patients in these studies is today 867 SLE patients and >250 APS patients.

Population based controls identified in the national population registry (NPR), individually matched for age, sex, and residency have been investigated in person according to the same structured protocol (n=320). New controls will be included to match the "2015+ study".

Inclusion criteria

SLE according to criteria (ACR82 or SLICC 2012) and consenting to participate

Exclusion criteria

Not possible to read and understand patient information due to language barriers or psychological/psychiatric disorders Not consenting

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