Serositis (inflammation of tissues lining the lung, heart, and inner lining of the abdomen) 12 and pleuritis (inflammation of the lining of the lungs) 13.Increased risk of cardiovascular disease 11.Discoid rash (red, scaly and often circular in shape), as opposed to the malar rash, which often has a characteristic “butterfly” appearance 10.While the clinical presentation of SLE in men is largely the same as that in women, based on a limited number of small scale studies, the manifestations listed below may be more common for men with lupus: Are lupus disease manifestations markedly different between men and women? Recent studies suggest chromosomal basis and environmental exposure differences for the sex differences in the incidence of lupus. However, biological sex differences in immune function, especially those induced by sex hormones, are less likely explanations of sex differences. In addition, some men with SLE may have lower levels of testosterone and higher levels of estrogen than men who do not have lupus. Women with lupus have abnormally high levels of estrogen and low levels of progesterone 5. The fact that rates of lupus diagnoses spike for women during their reproductive years suggests a possible link between certain sex hormones and SLE. While women comprise the majority of lupus patients across all age groups, the difference in rates of diagnosis by sex drops for pre-pubescent and post-menopausal age groups. Why do so many more women have lupus than men? 4 When compared with SLE across all age groups, late onset lupus affects a higher percentage of men. 3 Lupus diagnosis after the age of 55 is termed “late onset lupus” around 15% of patients with SLE will develop the disease later in life. 1 However, the diagnosis of lupus can be delayed in women – that is, it takes less time for men to be diagnosed with lupus once they present with symptoms. The mean age of disease onset for men is around 40, which is nearly ten years later than that for women. What is the mean age of onset of lupus in men versus women? After the age of 50, the disparity drops slightly, as men comprise one in nine new cases. Between the ages of 15 and 50, males represent approximately 6% to 10% of patients diagnosed with SLE. Among children and early adolescents, one in four patients diagnosed with SLE is male. The male-to-female ratio in lupus varies between different age groups. The majority of lupus patients are female, with men comprising only 4% to 18% of those with the disease. What is the male-to-female ratio of lupus patients? The clinical manifestations of lupus are diverse, but common symptoms include fatigue, joint pain and swelling, fever, skin rash (“butterfly rash”), and sensitivity to light. While many different parts of the body can be affected, SLE most often affects the skin, joints, and kidneys. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE or lupus) is a chronic autoimmune disease which affects multiple organ systems, resulting in tissue damage by autoantibodies (antibodies that attack healthy self-proteins). The following questions and answers are intended to help you better understand how lupus may present differently in men and women however, you should always speak with your doctor about questions unique to your situation.
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