Epidemiological and diagnostic characteristics of systemic lupus erythematosus in a decentralized setting in sub-Saharan Africa

Introduction Systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE) is an autoimmune disorder with protean manifestations. It is considered the prototype of non–organ-specific autoimmune diseases. Numerous cases have been reported worldwide. Objectives The study aims to assess the prevalence of lupus and describe its manifestations at Abdou Aziz Sy Dabakh Hospital in Senegal. Materials and methods We conducted a retrospective study from 2017 to 2024 at the Abdou Aziz Sy Dabakh Hospital in Tivaouane. We included all patients hospitalised or monitored for systemic lupus whose diagnosis was established according to the recommended criteria. Results Systemic lupus was found in 84 patients, representing a prevalence of 0.15%. The average age was 36.67 years [11 and 70 years]. The 10–30 age group was the most representative (41.6%). Females (77 patients) predominated, with a sex ratio of 0.09. The clinical manifestations were dominated by general signs such as physical asthenia (47.6%), skin signs such as non-specific erythematous lesions (15.5%) and erythematosquamous lesions (16.7%). Inflammatory polyarthritis was found in 63.1% of patients. The activity of the disease was determined using the SLEDAI 2 K score. The average was estimated at 5.74 [0–19]. Activity was severe in 22 patients (26.19%), moderate in 19 patients (22.62%), and mild in 43 patients (51.19%). Severe systemic manifestations were dominated by cardiac (9.5%), renal (7.1%), and neurological (5.9%) complications. Most patients were treated with hydroxychloroquine (88%) and azathioprine (7.14%). Conclusion SLE is a multifaceted condition that requires adequate awareness among healthcare providers and the general public.