Patterns of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in the Intensive Care Unit and Causes of Mortality

The aim of this study was to investigate the causes, clinical course and the outcome of critical illnesses requiring emergency admission to the intensive care unit in patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. A retrospective study was conducted at King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, in the western region of Saudi Arabia, which included all critically ill patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus who were admitted to the intensive care unit over a seven-year period. Their demographic features, causes of intensive care unit admission, duration of intensive care unit hospitalization and outcome were registered and compared statistically. A total of 30 patients were included in this study. The most common causes of admission were abnormal complete blood count (87%), fever (83%), renal involvement (80%), hypertension (60%), infections (53%), lung (50%), mucocutaneous (43%), musculoskeletal (30%), neuropsychiatric (27%), and cardiovascular (23%) involvement. Mortality rate was 40% and was significantly associated with septic shock (P 0.000), lung hemorrhage (P<0.02) and thrombocytopenia (P<0.05). The mortality rate in critically ill Systemic Lupus Erythematosus patients was high. Patients who had septic shock, lung hemorrhage and thrombocytopenia significantly increased the likelihood of dying.