Survival and mortality rates of systemic lupus erythematosus patients in northwest Greece. Study of a 21-year incidence cohort

Abstract

Sir, Studies carried out in different countries suggest significant variation in the survival rate of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) [1, 2]. These findings could be related to different severity of the disease among populations, although access to efficient treatment and methodological differences among studies could explain these variations in part. Genetic, ethnic and environmental factors seem to be involved in the expression and severity of SLE [3–7].