Background/Purpose: The Southern California Lupus Registry (SCOLR) is a population-based, longitudinal, multi-ethnic cohort of subjects with SLE directed toward studying health and healthcare disparities in the Inland Empire, an under-recognized region of southern California inhabiting more than 3 million individuals where the percentage population living below the federal poverty line exceeds the general population in California. We report herein a preliminary analysis of baseline characteristics and clinical manifestations to establish a platform for future studies on regional disparities.

Methods: Subjects were enrolled into the SCOLR study from June 2016 to June 2017 using the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinic (SLICC) classification criteria for SLE. Retrospective review of medical records as well as clinical visits yielded more than 80 variables including demographic and clinical data, disease activity, comorbidities, serologic identifiers for SLE, and treatment history. Data involving clinical manifestations including renal involvement were analyzed with descriptive statistics.

Results: Of the 147 subjects enrolled, the majority resided in the surrounding geographic areas of the participating institution (Loma Linda University Medical Center). Ninety-two percent (135) were women and 8% (12) were men (female:male ratio, 11) with a mean age of 42 years (range 19-85). Thirty-seven percent were White non-Hispanic, 37% White Hispanic, 10% Asian, and 16% Black. Positive antinuclear antibody was demonstrated in 90%, dsDNA antibody in 52%, and Smith antibody in 34% of subjects. Lupus nephritis was noted in 46 subjects, of whom greater than 50% were of Hispanic origin. SLEDAI score was also notably greater in the Hispanic population compared to other subsets.

Conclusion: Subjects with SLE residing in the Inland Empire demonstrate findings in line with other cohorts with greater disease activity and severity among non-White groups compared to Whites and Hispanic subjects specifically in our cohort appearing to be at greater risk of morbidity and mortality. Our preliminary data warrants further analysis of racial/ethnic subsets in serologies and disease manifestations.

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ACR Meeting Abstracts - https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/the-southern-california-lupus-registry-i-baseline-characteristics-of-patients-with-systemic-lupus-erythematosus-in-an-uncharted-territory/