Hilde Haukeland disputerer 25. juni 2026
Cand.med. Hilde Haukeland vil forsvare graden ph.d. ved Institutt for klinisk medisin 25. juni 2026. Avhandlingens tittel er «Exploring Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in a Population-Based Cohort: Trends of Incidence, Performance of Classification Criteria, and Risk of Malignancy».
Foto: UiO
Sammendrag (på engelsk)
This thesis by Hilde Haukeland presents new epidemiological insights into systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) by analyzing incidence rates, long-term trends, and cancer risk. In addition, it validates the sensitivity of the 2019 EULAR/ACR classification criteria. All findings are based on a large, chart-validated, population-based SLE cohort from Southeast Norway, followed over nearly two decades.
A reduction in SLE incidence was observed, with a marked decline among women 50-59 years at 47%. In the same period, prescriptions for menopausal hormone therapy and smoking rates fell substantially. As both are potential SLE risk factors, further research is warranted to clarify any direct causal link.
SLE was associated with only a slightly increased overall cancer risk compared with the general population. The cancer pattern still differed, with a particularly elevated risk of lymphoma starting before SLE diagnosis, without apparent accumulation around the time of diagnosis.
Finally, over 90% of the incident SLE patients fulfilled the 2019 EULAR/ACR classification criteria at time of diagnosis.