Abstract: OBJECTIVE To determine treatment adherence and economy burden in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE) in Shanghai, analyze detailed medication problems and factors associated with treatment adherence in patients with SLE. METHODS Patients with confirmed diagnoses of SLE, visiting the outpatient clinic of the South Campus of Ren Ji Hospital, were recruited and required to complete a series of questionnaires. Data were collected on demographics, treatment adherence and economy burden. Adherence was comprehensively assessed using both the Compliance Questionnaire for Rheumatology(CQR) and interview-based self-reports. A backwards-stepwise multivariate regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with adherence. RESULTS From January to February of 2017, fifty-nine SLE patients(48.7%) were adherent among 121 SLE patients visiting the outpatient clinic. And their annual direct medical costs were 33 899 yuan. According to the result of multivariate regression analysis, treatment adherence of SLE patients was greatly associated with reminder tools, use of alternative medicines and physical strength. CONCLUSION Treatment adherence of patients with SLE in Shanghai are not good and their economy burden are heavy. This indicates it is particularly necessary to improve their healthy condition by taking effective measures to improve treatment adherence(such as using effective reminder tools) and reduce the economy burden in patients with SLE.