<![CDATA[Introduction: Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease characterized by excessive immune system reactivation. This disruption weakens the body's defense mechanisms against infections. Over half of SLE patients experience infections that contribute to 25-50% of all deaths in these patients and are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in SLE. This study aims to profile the incidence, type, etiology, and outcome of SLE patients with infections. Methods: A descriptive observational study used a cross-sectional approach to examine SLE patients with infectious manifestations. Samples were selected by total sampling from 234 medical records of SLE patients, with 115 patients who met the inclusion criteria (hospitalized at Internal Medicine, Dr. Soetomo Hospital, Surabaya, Indonesia). Exclusion criteria included patients without infectious manifestations. Data were collected using data collection sheets and analyzed univariately to show each variable's frequency distribution and percentage. Results: Of the 115 patients, 96 were female (83.5%), and 33% were aged 11-20. The most common infections were pneumonia (31.3%), upper respiratory tract infections (18.3%), and sepsis (12.2%). The pathogens included bacteria (52.2%), viruses (44.3%), fungi (2.6%), and parasites (0.9%). Outcomes included recovery (14.8%), improvement (51.3%), forced discharge (3.5%), and death (30.4%), with pneumonia (50%), sepsis (23.1%), and upper respiratory tract infections (15.5%) being the leading causes of death. Conclusion: The highest infection rates in SLE patients occur in young women (11-20 years) with pneumonia, upper respiratory infections, and sepsis, which significantly contribute to mortality. The infections are predominantly bacterial and viral infections]]>
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