The Chilean experience with SLE began more than 40 years ago. The first series was published in 1958 with 108 patients. Lupus hair was described for the first time as a symptom that highly suggested SLE at that time. Subsequent studies have dealt with differ ent clinical aspects of the disease. The description of silent nephropathy in SLE and inspira tory muscle dysfunction as a cause of unexplained dyspnoea have been relevant contributions to the understanding of this condition. Patient survival has improved over the last decades from 13% at 5 years in 1959 up to 87% in 1994. Reasons for this improved survival are probably related to better diagnosis and management of the severely ill patients. However, in spite of this, the incidence of infections in our patients often contrib utes to fatal outcome. Recently, some studies have been published related to the basic pathogenic mechanisms of this disease.
Health Conditions in the Americans.PAHO (Pan American Health Organisation) Scientific Publications, Washington DC, USA. 1990; II; 524, 84-90.
2.
Rothhammer F.Biological population history of continental Chile. In Schwidetzky I, Uldenbourg R (eds) Rassengeschichte der Menschheit. Munich, Germany: Springer-Verlag, pp 219-236.
3.
Armas-Cruz R. , Harnecker J., Ducah G., Jalil J., González F.Clinical diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus . Am J Med1958; 25: 409-419.
4.
Jalil J., Armas Cruz R., Harnecker J., González F.Lupus eritematoso generalizado. Análisis de 100 casos tratados con corticoides suprarrenales y comparación con 25 casos no tratados. Rev Med Chile1959; 86: 717-732.
5.
Ossandón M., Harnecker J., Jalil J.Anatomía patológica del lupus eritematoso generalizado. Rev Med Chile1955; 3: 151-162.
6.
Losada M., Awad T., Donoso S.Correlación clínico-anatómica en el lupus eritematoso generalizado . Rev Med Chile1970; 98: 586-591.
7.
Rosenberg H. , Jacobelli S., Vaccarezza A., Sorensen R.Nefropatia lúpica. Correlación clínico-morfológica . Rev Med Chile1976; 104: 425-432.
8.
Jacobelli S. , Massardo L., Rodriguez G., Rosenberg H., Rivero S.Análisis de la sobrevida en enfermos con lupus eritematoso generalizado. I. Rev Med Chile1985; 113: 744-750.
9.
Massardo L., Jacobelli S., Rodriguez G., Rosenberg H., Rivero S.Sobrevida en enfermos con nefropatia lúpica. II. Factores pronósticos . Rev Med Chile1985; 113: 850-856.
10.
Rojas C., Jacobelli S., Massardo L., Rosenberg H., Rivero S.Lupus eritematoso generalizado sin alteraciones en el examen de orina . Rev Med Chile1987; 115: 120-125.
11.
Massardo L. , Martinez ME, Bar6 M., Figueroa F., Rivero S., Jacobelli S.Infecciones en el lupus eritematoso generalizado . Rev Med Chile1991; 119: 1115-1122.
12.
Massardo L. , Martinez ME, Jacobelli S., Villarroel L., Rosenberg H., Rivero S.Survival of Chilean patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Semin Arthritis Rheum1994; 24: 1-11.
13.
Radrigán F. , Massardo L., Castro I., Rosenberg H., Rössler E., Diaz G., Vega J., Orriols M., Flores JC, Jacobelli S.Seguimiento de pacientes con nefropatía lúpica extramembranosa. Reumatologia1995; 11: 67, (Abstract 28).
14.
Alvarado A. , Cerda C., González F., Lemus J., Hidalgo C., Rosenberg H.Recidiva de la nefropatía lúpica (NL) tratada con pulsos de ciclofosfamida endovenos (PCF) . Reumatologia1995; 11: 65, (Abstract 24).
15.
Gónzalez B. , Elgueta S., Talesnik E., Montana N., Rodriguez MS, Valenzuela M., Miranda M., Varas M.Lupus eritematoso diseminado en la infancia. Estudio clínico y de sobrevida en 31 casos. Rev Chil Ped1984; 55: 238-244.
16.
Jacobelli S. , Moreno R., Massardo L., Rivero S., Lisboa C.Inspiratory muscle dysfunction and unexplained dyspnea in systemic lupus erythematosus. Arthritis Rheum1985; 28: 781-788.
17.
Grisanti M. , Vergara F., Cartier L., Guzamán L.Compromiso del sistema nervioso central debido a lupus eritematoso diseminado. Experiencia con 20 pacientes. Rev Med Chile1985; 113: 1194-1202.
18.
Carvallo A. , Moreno E.Lupus eritematoso sistémico y embarazo. Experiencia clínica en 57 pacientes. Rev Med Chile1989 ; 117: 1243-1250.
19.
Abumohor P. , Cerda C., Neira O., Palma S., Alvarado A., Basualdo J., Bravo M., Guzmán L.Anticuerpos anticardiolipinas en el lupus eritematoso sistémico: prevalencia y asociaciones clínicas. Rev Med Chile1991; 119: 517-523.
20.
Massardo L. , Jacobelli S., Leissner M., González M., Villarroel L., Rivero S.High-dose intravenous methylprednisolone therapy associated with osteonecrosis in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus . Lupus1992; 1: 401-405.
21.
Pincheira R. , Bull P., Massardo L., Errázuriz C., Marzolo MP, Bono MR, Jacobelli S., González A.Increased levels of the protooncogen c-rel mRNA in patients with either active or inactive systemic lupus erythematosus . Lupus1995; 4(S2): 84, (Abstract).
