RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Cigarette Smoking and Cutaneous Damage in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus JF The Journal of Rheumatology JO J Rheumatol FD The Journal of Rheumatology SP 2691 OP 2693 DO 10.3899/jrheum.090403 VO 36 IS 12 A1 IRINA TURCHIN A1 SASHA BERNATSKY A1 ANN E. CLARKE A1 YVAN ST-PIERRE A1 CHRISTIAN A. PINEAU YR 2009 UL http://www.jrheum.org/content/36/12/2691.abstract AB Objective. To evaluate the association between cigarette smoking and cutaneous damage in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).Methods. Our study was performed in SLE clinic registry cohort patients, all of whom fulfilled revised American College of Rheumatology criteria for SLE; patients are followed prospectively with annual assessments that include collection of demographic variables, smoking history, disease activity (SLE Disease Activity Index version 2000, SLEDAI-2K), medications, and damage scores (Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/ACR Damage Index). Cumulative cutaneous damage scores were used for the primary analyses. Logistic and logit regression models were performed to examine potential associations between current smoking and cutaneous damage, controlling for age, sex, race, lupus disease duration, antimalarial or immunosuppressant use, and anti-DNA and anti-SSA antibody status.Results. Of our sample (N = 276), 92% were women and 73.7% were Caucasian; the mean age was 45.1 years, mean disease duration 13.5 years, and 17.5% were current smokers. In the regression analyses, current cigarette smoking was associated with total cutaneous damage (OR 2.73, 95% CI 1.10, 6.81) and with scarring (OR 4.70, 95 CI 1.04, 21.2). In additional analyses, current smoking was also associated with active lupus rash (OR 6.18, 95% CI 1.63, 23.3).Conclusions. Current cigarette smoking may be associated with cutaneous damage and active lupus rash in SLE, suggesting another reason to emphasize smoking cessation in patients with SLE.