Gender differences in clinical manifestations and comorbidities in patients with SLE : a single-center experience

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this study was to determine gender differences in the clinical manifestations and comorbidities in sle patients treated at the university hospital of split during a ten-year period. Methods: The medical records of patients diagnosed with sle were collected from the outpatient clinics, ward, and day hospital of the department of Rheumatology and clinical immunology of the university hospital of split. all sle manifestations and comorbidities were recorded. The spss 25 (ibm, new York, usa) package was used for statistical analysis. assessment of the differences between the genders was performed by χ2 test, univariate logistic regression, and multivariate logistic regression. Results: The study included 268 sle patients, 242 (90%) females and 26 (10%) males, aged 22-88 years (median 52; Q1-Q3: 41-62.75 y). in univariate regression analysis significant association was obtained between sjögren syndrome (ss) and associated neoplasms and the female gender, while antiphospholipid syndrome (aps) and vasculitis were associated with the male gender. in multivariate logistic regression with age and gender as independent variables, a significantly higher frequency of ss (p = 0.04) and associated neoplasms (p = 0.004) were found in females, while vasculitis (p = 0.014) and aps (p = 0.003) were more frequent in males. significant association was found between younger age and skin changes and lupus nephritis in both genders. in older patients, a significant correlation was found for dyslipidemia, hypertension, osteoporosis, gastritis, and heart involvement. Conclusion: in our study of sle patients, ss and associated neoplasms were more common in women, whereas in men vasculitis and aps were more frequent. lupus nephritis and skin changes occured more frequently in patients of younger age in both genders. in elderly patients, dyslipidemia, hypertension, heart involvement, osteoporosis, and gastritis were more likely to occur. for a better understanding of this problem it is necessary to examine a larger population of patients and monitor it over time.