Alcohol, smoking and illicit drug use in pediatric systemic lupus erythematosus patients

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate alcohol, smoking and/or illicit drug use, and history of bullying inadolescent childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus and healthy controls. Methods: 174 adolescents with pediatric rheumatic diseases were selected. All of the 34childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus patients and 35 healthy controls partici-pated in this study. A cross-sectional study included demographic/anthropometric data andpuberty markers assessments; structured questionnaire and CRAFFT screening interview. Results: McNemar tests indicated an excellent test-retest reliability of the structured ques-tionnaire (p = 1.0). The median current age was similar between childhood-onset systemiclupus erythematosus patients and controls [15 (12-18) vs. 15 (12-18) years, p = 0.563]. Themedian of menarche age was significantly higher in childhood-onset systemic lupus erythe-matosus patients compared to controls [12 (10-15) vs. 11.5 (9-15) years, p = 0.041], particularlyin those that lupus had occurred before first menstruation [13 (12-15) vs. 11.5(9-15) years, p = 0.007]. The other puberty marker and sexual function parameters were similar in bothgroups (p > 0.05). Alcohol use was similar in both childhood-onset systemic lupus erythe-matosus patients and controls (38% vs. 46%, p = 0.628). A trend of lower frequency of CRAFFTscore ≥2 (high risk for substance abuse/dependence) was evidenced in childhood-onset sys-temic lupus erythematosus patients compared to controls (0% vs. 15%, p = 0.053). Bullyingwas reported similarly for the two groups (43% vs. 44%, p = 0.950). Further analysis in lupuspatients regarding alcohol/smoking/illicit drug use showed no differences in demographicdata, puberty markers, history of bullying, sexual function, contraceptive use, disease activ-ity/damage scores, clinical/laboratorial features and treatments (p > 0.05).