Male SLE patients in Malta.

The SLE patient database at the Rheumatology Clinic, St. Luke's Hospital includes 62 patients, 58 of which have complete data. The patients were grouped according to sex (7 males vs 51 females). The presentation, clinical manifestations, ACR criteria and laboratory findings of the 2 groups were analyzed and compared. Serositis as the initial manifestation at presentation was significantly commoner in males (29% vs 2%; p < 0.05). Cardiorespiratory problems such as pleurisy, pericarditis, pericardial effusions and myocarditis were more frequent in the male subgroup. Female patients had more arthritis, myositis, neuropsychiatric manifestations (depression, psychosis and headache) anemia, leucopenia and ENA positivity than their male counterparts. All 6 mortalities recorded were in the female subgroup.