Clinical characteristics of patients with systemic lupus erythe- matosus in Nairobi, Kenya

Background: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a chronic multisystem autoimmune disease with a wide spectrum of manifestations, shows considerable variation across the globe, although there is data from Africa is limited. Quantifying the burden of SLE across Africa can help raise awareness and knowledge about the disease. It will also clarify the role of genetic, environmental and other causative factors in the natural history of the disease, and to understand its clinical and societal consequences in African set up. Objective: To determine the clinical profile of SLE patients at a tertiary care centre in Nairobi, Kenya. Methods: Case records of patients who were attending the Nairobi Arthritis Clinic seen between January 2002 and January 2013 were reviewed. This was a cross-sectional study done on 100 patients fulfilling the 2012 Systemic Lupus Collaborating Clinics (SLICC) criteria for SLE attending the Nairobi Arthritis Clinic, Kenya. The patients were evaluated for sociodemographic, clinical and immunological manifestations and drugs used to manage