Sex differences in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus from Northwest Spain

To further establish potential differences according to sex in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients from Southern Europe. We assessed clinical and epidemiological data of patients diagnosed with SLE according to the 1982 American College of Rheumatology classification criteria at the single hospital for a well-defined population of Northwest Spain, between 1987 and 2006. Prevalence in December 2006 and age-standardized incidence rates in the whole period were estimated. Kaplan–Meier method was used in order to estimate the probability of survivorship. Women outnumbered men [127 (84.7 %) vs. 23 (15.3 %)]. The median age at the time of disease diagnosis in men was 54 years versus 43 in women ( p