Multimorbidity Prevalence Significantly Higher in SLE Patients
A recent study from the Lupus Midwest Network published in Rheumatology examined the prevalence and incidence of multimorbidity in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and its association with disease-related damage.
The study included 449 patients with established SLE (prevalent cohort) and 270 patients with new-onset SLE (incident cohort), alongside matched comparators without the disease. The results demonstrated that SLE patients were significantly more likely to experience multimorbidity compared to non-SLE comparators. Specifically, patients in the prevalent cohort were nearly 3 times more likely to have multiple chronic conditions (odds ratio [OR] 2.98), while patients in the incident cohort had a 2.27-fold higher likelihood of multimorbidity at SLE onset (OR 2.27).
The development of multimorbidity over time was also significantly higher in SLE patients. After the onset of SLE, the risk of developing multimorbidity was more than twice as high in SLE patients compared to the general population (hazard ratio [HR] 2.11). Notably, the risk was even higher for conditions related to the SLE disease damage (SDI-related conditions) with an HR of 2.91, compared to conditions unrelated to disease damage (HR 1.73).
By analyzing both prevalent and incident cohorts of SLE patients and matched comparators, the research provides insights into the impact of multimorbidity on this population, the authors observed.
“Patients with SLE had a higher burden of multimorbidity, even before the onset of the disease,” concluded the study authors. “The risk disparity continued after SLE classification and was also seen in a prevalent SLE cohort. Multimorbidity was driven both by SDI-related and unrelated conditions.”
Reference
Figueroa-Parra G, Meade-Aguilar JA, Hulshizer CA, et al. Multimorbidity in systemic lupus erythematosus in a population-based cohort: the Lupus Midwest Network. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2024;63(11):3056-3064. doi:10.1093/rheumatology/kead617
