RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 The rate and pattern of organ damage in late onset systemic lupus erythematosus. JF The Journal of Rheumatology JO J Rheumatol FD The Journal of Rheumatology SP 913 OP 917 VO 29 IS 5 A1 Peter Maddison A1 Vernon Farewell A1 David Isenberg A1 Cynthia Aranow A1 Sang-Cheol Bae A1 Susan Barr A1 Jill Buyon A1 Paul Fortin A1 Ellen Ginzler A1 Dafna Gladman A1 John Hanly A1 Susan Manzi A1 Ola Nived A1 Michelle Petri A1 Rosalind Ramsey-Goldman A1 Gunnar Sturfelt A1 Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics YR 2002 UL http://www.jrheum.org/content/29/5/913.abstract AB OBJECTIVE: To compare the extent and type of damage in patients with late onset and earlier onset systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) using the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index (SDI). METHODS: A total of 86 SLE patients with disease onset after the age of 54 years were matched for center, sex, and ethnic origin with 155 SLE patients with disease onset before the age of 40 years. SDI scores were obtained at one year and 5 years after the diagnosis of SLE. Analysis was based on conditional logistic regression. RESULTS: SDI scores were higher in the late onset group than in younger patients at both one [mean 0.7 (range 0-3) vs 0.3 (range 0-3); p < 0.001] and 5 years [mean 1.6 (range 0-8) vs 0.9 (range 0-7); p < 0.001] after diagnosis. There was also a difference in the pattern of organ damage. While damage to the skin, kidneys, and central nervous system occurred with similar frequency, late onset disease was characterized by significantly more cardiovascular (OR 14.13, p < 0.001), ocular (OR 9.38, p = 0.001), and musculoskeletal (OR 2.68, p = 0.016) damage and malignancy (OR 7.04, p = 0.046). CONCLUSION: The occurrence of organ damage assessed by the SDI is greater in patients with late onset SLE than in younger patients and, by this criterion, lupus cannot be judged to be more benign in this age group. Also, the pattern of damage is different, but whether this reflects age per se or the effect of the disease in the elderly remains to be established.