Antinuclear antibody (ANA) screening based on EULAR/ACR 2019 clinical domain criteria among PLHIV and profile of diagnosed HIV-SLE cases.

Abstract

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in people living with HIV (PLHIV) is rare, with limited prevalence data. We performed symptom-directed antinuclear antibody (ANA) screening in 129 PLHIV, followed by extractable nuclear antigen testing in ANA-positive individuals. SLE was diagnosed using the 2019 ACR-EULAR criteria. ANA positivity was seen in 54 patients, while anti-dsDNA antibodies were detected in four, all diagnosed with SLE. Three patients were male, with polyarthritis as the most common presentation, followed by proteinuria. Sjögren syndrome, dermatomyositis, and primary systemic sclerosis were identified in one patient each. A literature review identified 165 reported cases of HIV-associated SLE, 93 reported between 2014 and 2024.