The prognosis of childhood systemic lupus erythematosus.

A retrospective analysis of 50 patients with childhood systemic lupus erythematosus seen during the past 13 years shows 35 living patients, 13 dead, and 2 lost to follow-up. Fourteen patients were males and 36 females, with the median age of onset 14 years. Clinical presentation was multisystemic in 31, primarily renal in 12, hematologic in 5, and atypical in 2. Renal involvement occurred at some time in all 50 patients. Central nervous system symptoms were present in 22 of 50. Survival in the present series is compared with previously reported survival models in the pediatric age group.