[Late-onset lupus in the elderly after 65 years: retrospective study of 18 cases].
OBJECTIVE
The aim of our study was to investigate characteristics of late-onset lupus after 65 years compared to younger ones.


METHOD
Patients with lupus revealed after 65 years were investigated in four French hospitals between 1985 and 2013. Patients with 4 ACR criteria or more were included. Clinical and biological characteristics, prognosis, treatment, comorbidities were described retrospectively and compared to the cohort of 1000 lupus patients of Cervera et al.


RESULTS
Eighteen patients were included (14 women and 4 men). The most frequent features were arthritis (13/18), skin involvement (9/18). Hemolytic anemia and thrombosis were more frequently found in elderly lupus (p<0.05). During evolution, only cutaneous involvement were less frequent than in young subjects (p <0.05). Corticosteroids were often used (16/18), but iatrogenic complications were frequent (10/16).


CONCLUSION
Diagnosis is difficult because of non-specific clinical features. Treatment needed a rigourous follow-up because of iatrogenic complications.