Xu C, Clarke C, Goh KL, et al. - The finding that lupus in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians were of a ‘distinct phenotype’ vs non-Indigenous Australians is further supported.

• In Australia, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Australians had previously shown higher incidence and prevalence of systemic lupus erythematosus vs non-Indigenous Australians.

• This study included 33 consecutive biopsy proven lupus nephritis (LN) patients, 26 self-identified as of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent.

• LN incidence were 5.08 and 0.47 per 100,000 patient years in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australian and non-Indigenous Australians, respectively.

• In Indigenous Australian patients vs non-Indigenous Australian patients, more frequent were neurological (23.08% vs 0%) and hematological manifestations (46.50 % vs 16.67) as well as right heart catheter proven pulmonary arterial hypertension (23.08% vs 0%).

• Indigenous Australian patients also showed higher incidence of positive Extractable Nuclear Antigen (84.62% vs 57.14%).