Exploring gastrointestinal manifestations in childhood onset systemic lupus erythematosus - Insights from a multicenter study
Year: 2024
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: OBJECTIVE: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) constitutes an autoimmune disorder with potential involvement of the gastrointestinal system (GIS). Our objective was to assess the gastrointestinal (GI) manifestations in patients diagnosed with childhood onset SLE. METHODS: The study cohort consisted of 123 patients with childhood onset-SLE and GIS involvement from 16 referral departments of pediatric rheumatology. All participants met the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics criteria. RESULTS: Out of 123 patients, 78 (63.4%) exhibited GIS involvement at the initial SLE diagnosis, whereas the remaining 45 (36.6%) developed GI symptoms after a median duration of 12 (3-140) months. Eighty-two (66.7%) individuals experienced symptoms related to the GI tract, whereas the remaining patients received a diagnosis of GI involvement through laboratory assessments. The predominant initial GIS involvement symptom was abdominal pain, observed in 77 (62.6%) patients, followed by elevated hepatic transaminases in 70 (56.9%), hepatomegaly in 40 (32.5%), diarrhea in 26 (21.1%), and jaundice in 11 (8.9%) patients. The GIS involvement was associated with SLE in 82 (78.6%), while it resulted from drug-related adverse events in 35 (28.5%) patients or comorbidities in 6 (0.5%) patients. CONCLUSION: GIS involvement should be considered in all childhood onset-SLE patients, especially in the presence of suggestive symptoms or elevated hepatic transaminases. It is also crucial to consider SLE in the differential diagnosis of GIS manifestations in children. Apart from GIS involvement directly associated with SLE, adverse events of drugs should be kept in mind.
Source: Lupus
Authors: Hafize Emine Sönmez, Ezgi Deniz Batu, Rana İşgüder, Nihal Şahin, Emil Aliyev, Esma Aslan, Sümeyra Çoban, Vildan Güngörer, Şerife Gül Karadağ, Nihal Karaçayır, Hakan Kısaoğlu, Aydan Yekedüz Bülbül, Sevinç Garip, Yasin Karalı, Semra Ayduran, Selcan Demir, Ümmüşen Kaya Akça, Özge Başaran, Sezgin Şahin, Belde Kasap, Sara Sebnem Kilic, Rabia Miray Kışla Ekinci, Ayşenur Paç Kısaarslan, Mukaddes Kalyoncu, Sevcan Bakkaloğlu, Selçuk Yüksel, Nuray Aktay Ayaz, Banu Çelikel Acar, Betül Sözeri, Özgür Kasapçopur, Erbil Ünsal, Seza Özen
Institutions: Kocaeli Üniversitesi, Hacettepe University, Dokuz Eylül University, Istanbul University-Cerrahpaşa, Istanbul University, Ümraniye Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi, Ankara Bilkent City Hospital, Gazi University, Karadeniz Technical University, Erciyes University, Bursa Uludağ Üni̇versi̇tesi̇, Pamukkale University, Eskişehir Osmangazi University, Izmir Kâtip Çelebi University, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart Üniversitesi
Language: English
Subfield: Rheumatology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W4401881027