Table 1

Causes of death in deceased patients (n = 42)

Primary cause of death

Number of patients

Age at death, years

Age at SLE diagnosis, years

Disease duration at baseline, years

Cardiovascular mortality

20 (48%)

69 (± 11)

43 (± 18)

19 (± 14)

Myocardial infarction

10

Congestive.heart failure

7

CVLcerebrovascular lesion

1

Atherosclerosis

1

Sudden death

1

Non-vascular mortality

18

57 (± 13)

36 (± 13)

15 (± 10)

Infection

5 (12%)

46 (± 12)

20 (± 6.8)

16 (± 10)

Sepsis

3

Pneumonia

1

Perforation of esophagus

1

Bleeding

4 (10%)

56 (± 16)

32 (± 13)

20 (± 9)

Gastrointestinal bleeding

3

Unknown

1

Malignancy

4 (10%)

62 (± 6)

37 (± 10)

18 (± 9)

Lung cancer

2

Colorectal cancer

1

Squamous cell cancer

1

Suicide

2 (5%)

64 (± 3)

51 (± 19)

11 (± 13)

Pulmonary disease (pneumothorax)

1 (2%)

54

46

6

Renal failure

1 (2%)

85

73

2

Hepatic failure (cirrhosis)

1 (2%)

67

54

2

Pulmonary hypertension

4 (10%)

41 (± 16)

29 (± 13)

10 (± 9)

Total/Average

42

62 (± 14)

33 (± 13)

13 (± 10)

Age is given as mean ± SD.

Gustafsson et al. Arthritis Research & Therapy 2012 14:R46   doi:10.1186/ar3759