Diabetes mellitus complicating systemic lupus erythematosus – analysis of the UCL lupus cohort and review of the literature

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) often coexists with other diseases. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is an example and patients with overlap SLE-DM can present with clinical features common to both disorders. In this review, we describe the patients with overlap SLE-DM, focussing on the clinical features common to both diseases that these patients can present, and on the challenges of managing such complications. A detailed review of the patients’ notes (n = 485) was performed. At every outpatient appointment the patients’ urine was tested for glucose, protein and blood. Patients with persistent glycosuria were investigated with fasting blood glucose and a glucose tolerance test to help make the diagnosis of DM. Particular note was made of those patients whose symptoms could be due to SLE, DM or both. Nine patients with DM were identified. Three had type 1 DM, four had type 2 DM and two were considered to have steroid-induced DM. Among these patients, three had renal involvement (two with WHO class IV lupus neph...