Prevalence of vasculitis, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic sclerosis, idiopathic inflammatory myopathies and spondyloarthritis in Australia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Background: Systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARDs), including vasculitis, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic sclerosis (SSc), idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM), spondyloarthritis (SpA), Sjogrens disease (SjD) and mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD), are rare but associated with substantial morbidity and healthcare burden. Their clinical heterogeneity and diagnostic complexity pose challenges for epidemiological study. Objective: To summarise Australian data on the incidence or prevalence of the SARDs listed above. Methods: Scientific databases were searched in July 2024. Studies reporting SARD incidence or prevalence in the general Austr..