LAUSR

Developments in research leading to better diagnosis, treatment and ultimately improved long-term outcomes for children and adolescents with juvenile systemic lupus erythematosus (JSLE) in the last decades has increased clinicians’ awareness of the role of holistic care in patient management. JSLE is a complex systemic disease associated with chronic inflammation with potential impact on many aspects of health and quality of life of young people. It is widely recognised that JSLE is associated with a higher rate of cooccurrence of other medical conditions [1, 2], some directly related to the disease or treatment, and some reported as a detection artefact, as many of these patients are subjected to multiple clinical appointments and medical investigations. There is evidence that co-existent physical or mental conditions in children and adolescents negatively affect patient outcomes, irrespective of the type of illness [3, 4] and require complex management associated with increased health care costs [5].