WORLD JOURNAL OF ADVANCE
HEALTHCARE RESEARCH

Mfoumou Essono A.F.*, Iba Ba J., Nnang Essone J.F., Kombila U.D., Igala M. Boguikouma J.B.

ABSTRACT

Background: Anemia is the most common haematological abnormality in systemic lupus erythematosus. Understanding the pathogenesis of anemia associated with Lupus Erythematosus Disseminated (LED) can optimize its management. We conducted a study to determine the explorations performed to manage anemia during SLE. Patients and method: Descriptive retrospective study, carried out on files of patients hospitalized in the CHUL internal medicine department from January 2021 to December 2022. Included: any patient hospitalized for SLE with a hemoglobin level below: 13g/dl (Men) .12g/dl (Women). The diagnosis of SLE was made based on the existence of at least four ACR criteria. Results: Of the 36 files studied, The blood count-form revealed anemia in 24 patients or 66.7% of cases. They were 21 women and 3 men (Sex-ratio=0.14). The average age at the time of diagnosis was 28 years with extremes ranging from 17 to 54 years. The discovery of anemia was concomitant with the diagnosis of SLE in 11 cases and observed during the evolution in 13 patients. Clinically, anemia was well tolerated in 8 patients and symptomatic in 15 patients. Anemia was severe in 11 patients with an average Hb level of 6.76g/dl; microcytic hypochromia in 10 patients, microcytic normochromia in 7 patients and normocytic normochromia in 7 patients. Reticulocytes had been performed in 9 cases, inflammatory assessment in 19 cases, hemolysis assessment in 7 cases and iron assessment in 4 cases. The digestive and gynecological explorations had been made respectively in 3 and 2 cases. None of the patients had undergone a myelogram or a search for vitamin B12 and folic acid. Conclusion: Anemia is a common biological abnormality in SLE and can be severe. Our study showed that more than half of lupus patients had anemia and that this was under-explored.