Lupus & antiphospholipid syndrome
Hyposplenism in systemic lupus erythematosus: biological and radiological characteristics and its association with increased risk of infection
Authors' conclusion
Hyposplenism was observed in 9.4% of patients with SLE in a tertiary care cohort and was significantly associated with an increased risk of infection and radiological splenic hypoplasia.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in a single-centre tertiary care cohort systematically evaluated for Howell-Jolly bodies (HJB) on peripheral blood smear, excluding history of splenectomy or intrinsic haemolytic anaemiatertiary care cohort
- Participants
- 245 patients
- Comparison
- SLE with hyposplenism vs SLE with normal splenic function
- Casesn = 23
- Controlsn = 222reference
- Outcome
- Prevalence of hyposplenism (HJB on peripheral blood smear) and its association with increased risk of infection
Methodological detailssingle-centre, tertiary care cohort, multivariable analysis
- Single-centre
- Tertiary care cohort
- Multivariable analysis
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Prevalence of hyposplenism (HJB on peripheral smear)
Patients with HJB on peripheral smear (hyposplenism)
23
9.4%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | OR (95% CI) | P value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infection-related hospitalisation | 7.3 (2.4–21.8) | P < 0.001 | |
| Thrombosis | 1.6 (0.3–7.8) | P = 0.57 | |
| 0.050.21520Odds ratio (log scale) |
Pneumococcal infections
P < 0.001
Splenic hypoplasia on abdominal CT
P < 0.001
Factors independently associated with hyposplenism (multivariable analysis)
| OR (95% CI) | P value | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Paediatric-onset SLE | 5.2 (1.3–21.2) | P = 0.02 | |
| APS | 6.8 (2.2–20.8) | P = 0.001 | |
| History of constitutional symptoms of SLE | 3.9 (1.2–12.4) | P = 0.02 | |
| 0.050.21520Odds ratio (log scale) |
- Splenic hypoplasia on abdominal CT: 6/23 assessed cases vs 0/166 assessed controls
Splenic calcifications
- Not associated with hyposplenism
Blood counts
- Hyposplenism associated with eosinophilia, neutrophilia, monocytosis and thrombocytosis
Original publication
Hyposplenism in systemic lupus erythematosus: biological and radiological characteristics and its association with increased risk of infection. RMD Open. Published 13 March 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →