Undiagnosed systemic lupus erythematosus in the community.
BACKGROUND: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) produces a wide range of symptoms, some of them mild; therefore it may be underdiagnosed. In a pilot study we tested the ability of a screening questionnaire to identify undiagnosed cases in the community. METHODS: A 10-item questionnaire was mailed to...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Journal article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
1996
|
| _version_ | 1797075080086290432 |
|---|---|
| author | Johnson, A Gordon, C Hobbs, R Bacon, P |
| author_facet | Johnson, A Gordon, C Hobbs, R Bacon, P |
| author_sort | Johnson, A |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | BACKGROUND: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) produces a wide range of symptoms, some of them mild; therefore it may be underdiagnosed. In a pilot study we tested the ability of a screening questionnaire to identify undiagnosed cases in the community. METHODS: A 10-item questionnaire was mailed to 3500 women aged 18-65 randomly selected from a general practice list in Birmingham, UK. A random sample of 300 non-respondents were sent two further mailings. Women returning the questionnaire with three positive answers were to attend for an antinuclear antibody (ANA) test; and those testing positive were to be referred to a rheumatologist for standard clinical assessment. FINDINGS: 1153 (30%) of the women responded, and 307 of these gave three or more positive answers on the questionnaire. The survey disclosed three women with previously undiagnosed SLE; and, in addition, it picked up all four of the women whose SLE had been diagnosed previously. INTERPRETATION: The prevalence of SLE revealed by this survey in Birmingham women is 200/100,000 (95% confidence interval 80 to 412), whereas the prevalence of diagnosed SLE in this age group is 54/100,000 (95% CI 47-62). Thus, a substantial number of undiagnosed cases exist, and further work needs to focus on the prevalence in different ethnic groups and the benefits of early diagnosis and treatment. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-06T23:45:13Z |
| format | Journal article |
| id | oxford-uuid:70ab9cba-9456-473a-9583-60be6afc410d |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-06T23:45:13Z |
| publishDate | 1996 |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:70ab9cba-9456-473a-9583-60be6afc410d2022-03-26T19:38:39ZUndiagnosed systemic lupus erythematosus in the community.Journal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:70ab9cba-9456-473a-9583-60be6afc410dEnglishSymplectic Elements at Oxford1996Johnson, AGordon, CHobbs, RBacon, PBACKGROUND: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) produces a wide range of symptoms, some of them mild; therefore it may be underdiagnosed. In a pilot study we tested the ability of a screening questionnaire to identify undiagnosed cases in the community. METHODS: A 10-item questionnaire was mailed to 3500 women aged 18-65 randomly selected from a general practice list in Birmingham, UK. A random sample of 300 non-respondents were sent two further mailings. Women returning the questionnaire with three positive answers were to attend for an antinuclear antibody (ANA) test; and those testing positive were to be referred to a rheumatologist for standard clinical assessment. FINDINGS: 1153 (30%) of the women responded, and 307 of these gave three or more positive answers on the questionnaire. The survey disclosed three women with previously undiagnosed SLE; and, in addition, it picked up all four of the women whose SLE had been diagnosed previously. INTERPRETATION: The prevalence of SLE revealed by this survey in Birmingham women is 200/100,000 (95% confidence interval 80 to 412), whereas the prevalence of diagnosed SLE in this age group is 54/100,000 (95% CI 47-62). Thus, a substantial number of undiagnosed cases exist, and further work needs to focus on the prevalence in different ethnic groups and the benefits of early diagnosis and treatment. |
| spellingShingle | Johnson, A Gordon, C Hobbs, R Bacon, P Undiagnosed systemic lupus erythematosus in the community. |
| title | Undiagnosed systemic lupus erythematosus in the community. |
| title_full | Undiagnosed systemic lupus erythematosus in the community. |
| title_fullStr | Undiagnosed systemic lupus erythematosus in the community. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Undiagnosed systemic lupus erythematosus in the community. |
| title_short | Undiagnosed systemic lupus erythematosus in the community. |
| title_sort | undiagnosed systemic lupus erythematosus in the community |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT johnsona undiagnosedsystemiclupuserythematosusinthecommunity AT gordonc undiagnosedsystemiclupuserythematosusinthecommunity AT hobbsr undiagnosedsystemiclupuserythematosusinthecommunity AT baconp undiagnosedsystemiclupuserythematosusinthecommunity |