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Background Ocular manifestations are common in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Retinopathy has previously been linked to disease severity and might have a significant impact on the patient’s quality of life and has also been associated with a poor prognosis in SLE. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of retinopathy among patients who are newly diagnosed with SLE. Methods In a cross-sectional study, patients diagnosed with SLE at a tertiary referral clinic were assessed for inclusion between March 2016 and March 2017. Patients who had received treatment for SLE at any time were excluded, as well as patients with hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and coagulopathy. Clinical findings and laboratory test results were recorded, and patients were examined by an ophthalmologist for evidence of retinal pathologies. SLE disease activity index was also calculated for all patients. Results With 114 patients included in the final analysis, we found a prevalence of 15.8% for retinopathy among newly-diagnosed SLE patients. Cotton-wool spots were the most common finding (78%). Patients with retinopathy had significantly lower hemoglobin levels, C3 and C4 concentrations, and higher ANA and Anti-dsDNA levels. Also, patients with retinopathy had a significantly higher SLE DAI score. Conclusions We found a relatively high rate of retinopathy in SLE patients at the time of their initial diagnosis. Our findings suggest that retinopathy is an early manifestation of the disease. Ophthalmologic screening might be considered for SLE patients at the time of diagnosis, especially for those with severe disease. We also encourage researchers to further evaluate the correlation between retinopathy and disease activity, and the prognosis of ocular involvement.

Background & Objective: Due to the overall wide range of oral manifestations and the lack of comprehensively categorized information in Iran, this study was performed to investigate the prevalence of different oral manifestations and report their possible associated factors in patients with SLE. Materials & Methods:This cross-sectional study was performed on 96 SLE patients referred to two rheumatology clinics in Yazd, Iran, from September 2020 to February 2021. SLE patients were diagnosed based on the last revision of American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria in 1997. A questionnaire was created to collect demographic information and oral health status. Data were analyzed using SPSS v20.0 and p-values of P < 0.05 were considered statistically significant.Results: This study included 13 men (13.5%) and 83 women (86.5%), with an average age of 31.9 ±11.35 years. Oral lesions were diagnosed in 64.4% of patients, with white and red lesions being the most frequent (58%), and the most common region involved was buccal mucosa (25.8%). 97.1% of participants had caries and 86.5% had periodontal diseases. There was a significant association between the presence of oral lesions and female gender, longer duration and higher activity level of the disease and simultaneous presence of periodontal disease and missing or filled teeth. (P < 0.05). Conclusion:Given the frequency of oral lesions in more than 60% of patients, as well as the high incidence of caries and periodontal disorders, regular oral examinations in these patients appear to be particularly important.

Background: Several descriptive studies have shown an association between periodontitis and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), but clinical trials evaluating the effect of periodontal treatment on serological inflammatory parameters or disease activity in SLE patients are very limited. The aim of this study was to see how periodontal treatment affects the status of SLE patients. Materials and Methods: Ninety patients with active SLE and periodontitis were randomly assigned to one of two groups: case (oral hygiene instructions + scaling and root planning) or control (oral hygiene instructions only). Periodontal parameters, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and C-reactive protein (CRP) and SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) levels were monitored at baseline and 3 months later. Results: Periodontal parameters in the case group were significantly reduced both statistically and clinically after 3 months. However, in the control group, these indices decreased statistically ( P < 0.05) but not clinically. The score of SLEDAI in both the groups showed a significant downward trend ( P < 0.05) from the start of the study, but the differences in this index between the two groups were not statistically significant ( P = 0.894). Although there was a significant decrease in CRP and ESR ( P = 0.001) after 3 months in the case group, indicating a positive effect of periodontal treatment on inflammation reduction, there was no significant decrease in CRP and ESR in the control group. Conclusion: According to our findings, it appears to be no statistically significant association between periodontal treatment and SLEDAI level. However, this treatment seems to be effective in reducing acute phase biomarkers such as CRP and ESR.