Thesis (M.Sc.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Medicine - Department of Pediatrics

Background: Juvenile Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disorder, with multiple organ involvement, that may be associated with significant morbidity and mortality in children if not properly diagnosed and treated, pulmonary involvement occurs more commonly in systemic lupus erythematosus than in any other connective tissue disease with more than half of the patients experiencing manifestations at some point during the course of their illness. Aim of the study: The aim of our study is to assess the value of chest ultrasound and pulmonary function tests in early detection of ILD in patients known to have juvenile onset SLE before they develop clinical symptoms as an early screening tests. Patients and Methods: This study is a cross sectional study which was conducted at Abo-El Rish Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University. patients in the study diagnosed with juvenile onset SLE before age of 16 years who was following in Rheumatology Clinic. All patients included in the study(100) were subjected to proper history taking, measurement of the disease activity at the time of the study using Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDI-2K) scores, chest ultrasound and pulmonary function tests

Issued also as CD