Background Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multifactorial autoimmune disease with highest prevalence among women of childbearing age, however, SLE can also develop in children younger than 16 years (childhood-onset lupus).

Objectives In our present study, we compared the characteristics of adult- and childhood-onset SLE among Hungarian lupus patients.

Methods We created a Hungarian national register of childhood onset of SLE. We collected the clinical and laboratory parameters, the treatments and survivals of 79 child patients from six different rheumatology/immunlogy centres and compared them with the data of 342 adult onset lupus patients registered in the Clicical Immunolology Department, University of Debrecen.

Results We found the same female to male ratio in the two groups (10:1.3vs. 10:0.89). Significantly higher prevalences of nephritis (43% vs. 26,4% p<0,0001, RR:1.81), hematologic manifestations (57% vs. 36.65%, p: 0.0013, RR:1.96), butterfly rash (61% vs. 35,5% p<0,0001, RR:5.615) oral ulcers (11% vs. 4, 11%, p:0,0229, RR:2.225)were found among patients with pediatric lupus. In contrary, neurological symptoms (30%vs. 6%, p<0,0001) and polyarthritis (87 % vs 68 % p:0,0002) were significantly more frequent among adult onset of patients with SLE. Anti-cardiolipin (46% vs. 24%, p:0.0044), anti-beta II glikoprotein I (30.1 % vs 12.7 % p:0,0011), anti SSA (40.9% vs. 24%, p:0,0066) and anti-SSB (45.6 % vs. 15.2% p<0,0001) autoantibodies appeared significantly higher prevalence in adult lupus patients. Treatments of the children were the same, but they received high dose intravenous immunglobulin and mycophenlate mophetil more often than the adults. We did not find any differences between the survival of pediatric and adult onset lupus patients.

Conclusions The results of this study show that some clinical manifestations and serological findings of lupus are different in childhood-onset SLE and adult-onset SLE, but the outcome of the disease is not different in Hungarian adult and pediatric patients with lupus.

Disclosure of Interest: None Declared