When it comes to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and cardiovascular events (CVEs), the rheumatology community is woefully lacking in information, say researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) David Geffen School of Medicine and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Their recent work on biomarkers associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular events in women with…
Improving Lupus Drug Regimen Adherence Among Minorities
Rheumatologists can do better at helping systemic lupus erythematosus patients from racial and ethnic minority groups adhere to their lupus medication regimens, according to a paper published in Arthritis Care & Research. Researchers from Duke University examined medication adherence barriers from the perspectives of healthcare providers and patients. Their findings suggest more attention should be…
Case Report: Drug-Induced Lupus
The incidence of drug-induced lupus continues to rise as clinicians expand their therapeutic armamentarium. An estimated 15,000–30,000 cases of drug-induced lupus occur every year in the U.S. alone.1 It is a well-known, but rare, complication of commonly used medications, such as anti-hypertensive, anti-arrhythmic and anti-epileptic drugs, as well as biologic and immune checkpoint therapies.2,3 The…
Updates in Pediatric Lupus: Experts Discuss Advances in Lupus Nephritis Treatments, Monogenic Lupus & More
PRSYM—At the 2021 Pediatric Rheumatology Symposium (PRSYM), a session on lupus provided a robust discussion of recent advances in lupus treatments and genetic discoveries in pediatric rheumatology. Lupus Nephritis The first speaker was Shaun Jackson, MD, PhD, a pediatric nephrologist and rheumatologist and associate professor at Seattle Children’s. His presentation focused on state-of-the-art treatments in…
2-Year Extension Study Supports Voclosporin to Treat Patients with Lupus Nephritis
Research has shown voclosporin in combination with MMF and low-dose steroids benefits patients with lupus nephritis, significantly increasing the speed of remission. New data from an ongoing extension study demonstrate a positive risk/benefit profile.
Rare Disease Sheds Light on the Origins of Lupus
Patients with the rare DNASE1L3 biallelic null mutation present with childhood-onset disease that resembles lupus. This observation prompted research into how abnormalities in the enzyme DNASE1L3 are associated with lupus, with researchers finding autoantibody-mediated impairment of DNASE1L3 activity may be a common non-genetic mechanism leads to anti-dsDNA autoreactivity in SLE.
New Insights into CD8+ T Cells & Lupus
A recent study demonstrated that exposure to type I interferon contributes to the pathogenesis of SLE via the metabolic rewiring of CD8+ T cells, which promotes cell death.
Platelets: An Underrecognized Piece of the Lupus Puzzle
Platelets may be a key source of mitochondrial antigens in systemic lupus erythematosus, according to a recent study.
Lupus or Not? Machine Learning May Help Diagnose Lupus Early
Can machine learning aid clinicians in diagnosing systemic lupus erythematosus? Adamichou et al. designed an algorithm that uses classical features of lupus to simulate medical reasoning and identify lupus early in the disease process. They were able to validate the algorithm, which demonstrated high sensitivity, specificity and accuracy.
A 2021 Update on Lupus Management & Treatment
At the 2021 ACR State-of-the-Art Clinical Symposium, Saira Sheikh, MD, associate professor of Medicine and director of the Rheumatology Lupus Clinic, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, provided an update on the past, present and future of the management of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). This year, hydroxychloroquine received a great deal of attention, given early…