Background/Purpose:

To date, only a small number of studies have examined the epidemiology of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) on a nation-wide basis. These studies were restricted to specific age groups and/or non-representative insurance schemes. In our study, we used French national administrative databases to analyse the 2010 prevalence and incidence rates of SLE on a nation-wide basis.

Methods:

The largest French health insurance scheme covers 88% of the population or 58,186,535 individuals. Patients with SLE were identified if they had full coverage for a chronic disease with a M32 code (ICD-10th) in the health insurance information system, or if they had a M32 code in the hospital discharge database in 2010.

Results:

Overall, 27,390 individuals were identified as having SLE, 88% were female. The crude 2010 prevalence of SLE was 47.1/100,000, and the WHO age-standardized rate 40.8/100,000. The crude 2010 annual incidence of SLE was 3.32 cases per 100,000 with peaks in females aged 30-39yo (9.11/100,000) and in males aged 50-59yo (1.78/100,000). Major differences in regional age-standardized prevalence rates were observed, with the lowest rates in the North-West metropolitan areas and the highest in Caribbean overseas areas, ranging from 26 to 118/100,000. 

Conclusion:

This is the largest nation-wide study of SLE population to date, based on 58 million beneficiaries of the French health insurance system. Variations in regional rates may reflect ethnic differences. Rates may be underestimated as beneficiaries may not request full coverage and may not be hospitalised for SLE. The prevalence and incidence rates may however provide useful guidance to improve SLE care.

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ACR Meeting Abstracts - https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/incidence-and-prevalence-of-systemic-lupus-erythematosus-a-2010-nation-wide-population-based-study-using-french-national-administrative-databases/