Epidemiology of systemic lupus erythematosus: a comparison of worldwide disease burden

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a disease of multifactorial etiology. Quantifying the burden of SLE across different countries can clarify the role of genetic, environmental and other causative factors in the natural history of the disease, and to understand its clinical and societal consequences. The aim of this study is to summarize data on SLE incidence and prevalence in the USA, Europe, Asia, and Australia. An extensive review of electronic resources (PubMed and MedLine) and medical journals was conducted to identify published studies on SLE incidence and prevalence over the period of 1950-early 2006. Researchers in the countries of interest provided additional information on the epidemiology of SLE.…