Clinical Research Directory

Inclusion Criteria: * Children less than 18 years of age * Diagnosis of juvenile systemic lupus erythematosus according to SLICC criteria * Disease duration of at least 3 months * Age- and sex-matched healthy controls * Written informed consent from parents or legal guardians Exclusion Criteria: * \- Established diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease or other primary gastrointestinal disorder * Significant gastrointestinal manifestations (persistent abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, GI bleeding, significant unexplained weight loss) * Active gastrointestinal infection within the preceding 4 weeks * Antibiotics, probiotics, or NSAIDs within the 2 weeks preceding stool sample collection * Other autoinflammatory or overlapping autoimmune diseases * Chronic liver or renal disease unrelated to JSLE