Prevalence and Significance of Haematological Abnormalities in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

The occurrence and significance of haematological abnormalitieswere analysed in 126 prospectively studied patients with systemiclupus erythematosus. Haemolytic anaemia occurred in 13 per cent,neutropenia in 47 per cent, lymphocytopenia in 20 per cent andthrombocytopenia in 27 per cent of all patients. Patients withhaemolytic anaemia were less likely to have serositis, but nodifferences in the incidence of renal or cerebral manifestationswere found between the various groups. Infections were mainlyassociated with the use of corticosteroid therapy. Life-tableanalysis showed no adverse influence on survival of haemolyticanaemia, neutropenia or lymphocytopenia, but late onset thrombocytopeniawas associated with a decreased survival. No relationship wasfound between thrombocytopenia and the presence of antiphospholipidantibodies or the occurrence of thromboembolic events. We conclude that late onset thrombocytopenia in patients withsystemic lupus erythematosus is associated with a decreasedprobability of survival but this could not be attributed tothromboembolic events.