Early-onset Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Case Series

Abstract

Early-onset Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a heterogeneous disease with more variable symptoms than other types of SLE. It can begin as early as 12 months after birth, and the clinical process appears to be more severe. The common clinical manifestations of early-onset SLE are skin and mucosal lesions, renal involvement, central nervous system diseases and hematological system abnormalities. Although the disease is well described in the literature, diagnosis is often difficult due to its insidious onset, early onset, and atypical symptoms. Here, we present four cases of early-onset SLE. Next-generation sequencing were performed and detected mutations were confirmed by Sanger sequencing in all four cases. In addition, glucocorticoid, propyl, cyclophosphamide, and other drugs were significantly improved after treatment. Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the first case study in China describing early-onset SLE. With the research progress and knowledge integration of basic disciplines such as genomics, epigenetics and immunology, the pathogenesis of early-onset SLE and other rheumatoid immune diseases will be revealed, which will bring more hope for the diagnosis and treatment of early-onset SLE.