Lupus Patients with PAH Need Close Monitoring and Earlier Treatment
Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus who develop pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) have a poorer prognosis, according to a review from the Peking Union Medical College & Chinese Academy of Medical Science, which strongly recommended clinicians pay attention to the simultaneous presence of this condition, as early diagnosis and management might improve survival.
PAH is a rare, but serious, complication of lupus, and the third leading cause of death in lupus patients. Without specific treatment, lupus patients who develop PAH are thought to live about two years after diagnosis, although previous studies of survival rates in this group produced highly variable results.
The study, “Survival and prognostic factors of systemic lupus erythematosus-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension: A PRISMA-compliant systematic review and meta-analysis,” analyzed published data investigating the prognosis or survival of adults with lupus and PAH.
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