Orofacial Manifestations and Oral Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

Objective: This study evaluated orofacial manifestations and oral health-related quality of life in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in the Turkish population. It also aims to investigate the relationship between these findings and disease activity and other associated factors.

Methods: Patients referred from the rheumatology clinic and SLE-diagnosed patients were evaluated in the oral diagnosis clinic. Orofacial manifestations were assessed through clinical examinations, and oral health status was evaluated using the Decayed-Missing-Filled Teeth (DMFT) index. Disease activity was measured using the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index 2000 (SLEDAI-2K), while oral health-related quality of life was assessed with the Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14). Statistical analyses, including Pearson correlation and Kruskal-Wallis tests, were performed to evaluate associations among disease activity, oral health status, and quality of life.

Results: The study included 70 SLE patients (67 females, 3 males; mean age: 46.3 ± 13.5 years). Orofacial lesions were present in 25.7% of the patients, and the cheek mucosa was the most commonly affected site. Bruxism was detected in 42.9% of patients, while burning mouth syndrome was observed in 11.4% of patients. Disease activity assessment showed that 45.7% had no activity, and 47.1% had mild severity. The OHIP-14 analysis indicated that psychological discomfort was the most affected domain (2.8 ± 2.26), whereas handicap had the least impact (0.97 ± 1.32). Although significant correlations were found between the OHIP-14 subscales, no significant correlation was observed between SLEDAI-2K scores and OHIP-14 subscales (P > 0.05).

Conclusion: Orofacial lesions in SLE patients were relatively common and varied in presentation. Although no direct relationship was found between disease activity and oral health-related quality of life, significant associations existed between different domains of OHIP-14. These findings highlight the need for a multidisciplinary approach to managing oral health in SLE patients to improve their overall quality of life.