Objective-To determine the prevalence of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and its associated comorbidities in patients from Puerto Rico using a database from a health insurance company.Methods-The insurance claims submitted by physicians in 2003 to a health insurance company of Puerto Rico were examined. Of 552,733 insured people, 877 had a diagnosis of SLE (code 710.0) per the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9). Demographic parameters and selected comorbidities were determined. The diagnosis of comorbities was ascertained using the ICD-9 code, the Current Procedural Terminology-4 (CPT-4) code (for disease specific procedures) and/or the Medi-Span Therapeutic Classification System (for disease specific pharmacologic treatment). Fisher exact test and Chi-square were used to evaluate differences between SLE patients groups.Results-The mean age was 42.0 ± 13 and the female to male ratio was 12.5:1. The overall prevalence of SLE was 159 per 100,000 individuals. The prevalence for females was 277 per 100,000 women and for males it was 25 per 100,000 men. The most common comorbidities were high blood pressure (33.7%), osteopenia/osteoporosis (22.2%), hypothyroidism (19.0%), diabetes mellitus (11.6%) and hypercholesterolemia (11.6%). Overall, high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolemia, and coronary artery disease were more prevalent in SLE patients older than 54 years. Osteopenia/osteoporosis was more prevalent in women than in men.Conclusions-The prevalence of SLE in Puerto Rico is very high. High blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolemia, hypothyroidism and osteopenia/osteoporosis are common comorbidities in these patients. Identification and management of these comorbidities are critical for optimal medical care to this population. Key indexing termsSystemic lupus erythematosus; prevalence; comorbidities; Puerto Rico Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease characterized by a wide spectrum of clinical and immunological abnormalities (1). Epidemiological studies on the prevalence of SLE show a broad range among different ethnic populations (21.7 to 124 per 100,000 population), possibly related to variability in genetic and environment factors (2-9).

The Latin American Society of Nephrology and Arterial Hypertension's Dialysis and Transplant Registry was chartered in 1991. It collects information on ESRD and its treatment in 20 countries of the region. The prevalence of patients on renal replacement therapy (RRT) increased from 129 pmp in 1992 to 447 pmp in 2004; in 2004, 56% of the patients were on hemodialysis, 23% on peritoneal dialysis, and 21% had a functioning kidney graft. The highest rates of prevalence were reported in Puerto Rico (1027 pmp), Chile (686 pmp), and Uruguay (683 pmp). Hemodialysis was widely used, except in El Salvador, Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic, where peritoneal dialysis predominated. Incidence rate increased from 27.8 pmp to 147 pmp in the same period of observation; the lowest rate was reported in Guatemala (11.4 pmp) and the highest in Puerto Rico (337.4 pmp). Diabetes mellitus was the leading cause of renal failure in incident patients; the highest rates were reported in Puerto Rico (62.2%) and Mexico (60%). Forty-four percent of the incident population were older than 65 years. Access to renal replacement therapy was universal in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Uruguay, and Venezuela, while was restricted in other countries. Main causes of death in dialysis were cardiovascular (44%) and infectious disease (26%). The rate of renal transplantation increased from 3.7 pmp in 1987 to 14.5 in 2004; fifty-three percent of the organs came from cadavers. Overall, donation rate was 5.9 pmp. In conclusion, the prevalence and incidence rates have increased over the years, and diabetes mellitus has emerged as the leading cause of kidney disease in the region. Although the rate of kidney transplantation has increased, the number remains insufficient to match the growing demand. The implementation of renal health programs in the region is urgently needed.

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