EC Paediatrics

Pediatric systemic lupus erythematosus is a severe autoimmune disease. The diagnostic classifications employed for this ailment incorporate lymphopenia. The objective of this investigation, which became possible through an initial inquiry into systemic lupus erythematosus in young patients, was to examine the association between lymphopenia and the clinical and biological manifestations and activity of lupus. The exclusion criterion for the study was individuals under the age of 16 who had been diagnosed with lupus over a period of 36 months (2015 - 2018). Lymphopenia was defined as a rate of less than 1,500/mm³. The study included 83 eligible patients who were divided into two groups based on their lymphocyte count: one group with less than 1500/mm³ (n = 47) and the other with greater than 1500/mm³ (n = 36). The severity of lymphopenia was evaluated based on its depth: mild: [1000 - 1500 mm³], moderate to severe: < 1000/mm³. A comparative evaluation of the two groups was performed to assess the possibility of clinico-biological associations. The results showed a sex ratio of boys to girls of 1:4.9 (0.20), a mean age at diagnosis of 11.3 ± 3.62, and lymphopenia prevalence of 71% with a mean of 865.57 ± 294.12 [200 - 1400/mm³], of which 32% was mild and 68% was moderate to severe. Comparison of the two groups revealed a significant correlation between lymphopenia and renal involvement (p = 0.02), neutropenia (p = 0.02), leukopenia (p = 0.0004), decreased C3 (p = 0.00006), C4 (p = 0.0009), macrophagic activation syndrome (p = 0.04), and disease activity (p = 0.025). In conclusion, lymphopenia was associated with certain severe clinical and biological forms and could be a practical and effective means of assessing the severity of juvenile lupus.

Keywords: Childhood Systemic Lupus Erythematosus; Lymphopenia; Clinical Manifestations; Biological Abnormalities; Disease Activity

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