Systemic lupus erythematosus children in Egypt: Homeland spectrum amid the global situation

IKZF1 rs4132601 and rs11978267 gene polymorphisms and paediatric systemic lupus erythematosus; relation to lupus nephritis

The demographic factors, the socioeconomic status and the ethnicity of populations are important players that determine the incidence, the prevalence and the spectrum of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) clinical presentations in different populations. Therefore, the purpose of the present research was to investigate the possible association between the Ikaros family zinc finger 1 gene (IKZF1) rs4132601 and rs11978267 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and SLE susceptibility and clinical presentations including lupus nephritis (LN) among Egyptian paediatric patients. After DNA extraction from Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) blood samples for 104 paediatric SLE (pSLE) patients and 286 healthy controls, the investigated SNPs (IKZF1 rs4132601 and rs11978267) were genotyped using TaqMan-Real-time Polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The G allele, GG and GT genotypes of IKZF1 rs4132601 were associated with pSLE (pc<.001, OR 2.97, 3.2 and 2.25, respectively). The GG and GA haplotype were more frequent in pSLE patients than other haplotypes (pc<.001, OR 3.47 and pc = .004, OR = 2.8, respectively). The studied SNPs have no impact on the distinctive features of pSLE. The rs4132601 TG genotype was significantly associated with proliferative LN (pc = .03) The IKZF1 rs4132601 can be considered a risk factor for SLE in the cohort of Egyptian children. The TG genotype of the IKZF1 rs4132601 may predispose to proliferative LN.

Health Related Quality of Life in Juvenile-Onset Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Questionnaire-Based Study

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to evaluate health related quality of life (HRQOL) in Egyptian children with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) using 3 different tools.

METHODS

In this questionnaire-based study, 100 children with SLE were included. HRQOL was assessed using the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Generic Core Scales (PedsQL™ 4.0 GCS), PedsQL™ 3.0 Rheumatology Module (PedsQL3-RM) and the Simple Measure of the Impact of Lupus Erythematosus in Youngsters (SMILEY). SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI) was used to evaluate activity and SLE International Collaborating Clinics/ American College of Rheumatology Damage Index (SDI) was used to evaluate chronic damage.

RESULTS

All mean scores of PedsQL^TM4.0 GCS domains in SLE patients were lower than published normative data and previously published results of Egyptian healthy controls (p < 0.001). All mean scores of PedsQL-3RM domains were significantly lower than published normative data except for the treatment and pain and hurt domains (p = 0.1, 0.2 respectively). SMILEY scores were low and the lowest domain scores was "Burden of SLE". Longer duration of illness, higher cumulative steroid doses, higher SLEDAI and SDI scores and presence of obesity were associated with lower scores for all 3 tools (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION FOR PRACTICE

The Arabic copies of PedsQL™ 4.0 GCS, PedsQL3-RM and SMILEY are easily used for Arabic speaking subjects and easily interpreted by physician and can be implemented for frequent monitoring of SLE HRQOL. Controlling the disease activity and using lowest doses of steroids and other immunosuppressive drugs are the corner stone strategies for improving HRQOL in SLE children.