Lupus & antiphospholipid syndrome

Sex-based clinical and immunological differences across lupus erythematosus subtypes: a cross-sectional multicentre study from China

Lupus Sci MedPublished Cross-sectional study

Authors' conclusion

Across the subtypes, several clinical manifestations show a consistent sex distribution: ACLE lesions, arthritis, non-scarring alopecia, Raynaud's phenomenon and autoantibodies occur more frequently in women with LE, whereas the proportions of DLE and SCLE lesions are higher in men with LE. In addition, certain features exhibit subtype-specific sex differences: among patients with SCLE, DLE and CHLE, women show a greater propensity for systemic involvement, whereas in those with SLE and ACLE, men demonstrate a higher tendency toward systemic disease.

Study context

Population
Patients with SLE and major cutaneous LE (CLE) subtypes, Lupus Erythematosus Multicenter Case-Control Study in Chinese populations1,865 SLE, 1648 CLE
Participants
2,097 patients
Exposure
Female vs male patients across lupus erythematosus (LE) subtypes
Outcome
Sex-related differences in clinical and immunological features across LE subtypes
Methodological detailsmulticentre
  • Multicentre

Main finding

As reported in the abstract

ACLE lesions most common in females

67%

Discoid LE (DLE) lesions in males vs females

31% vs 12%

Observational data: associations, not effects.

Original publication

Sex-based clinical and immunological differences across lupus erythematosus subtypes: a cross-sectional multicentre study from China. Lupus Sci Med. Published 23 February 2026. doi:10.1136/lupus-2025-001783

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