SAN FRANCISCO—Let’s say your radiologist comes to you and says that an angiogram gives a diagnosis of CNS vasculitis on four patients, all with acute onset of headache and stroke: One is a 25-year-old woman who is three months pregnant. Another is a 50-year-old man using excessive doses of nasal decongestants. Another is a 40-year-old…
New SLE Drug May Allow Patients to Reduce Steroid Use
In a recent study, the use of anifrolumab in SLE patients was shown to be safe and effective, enabling some patients to decrease their oral steroids. Also, secukinumab has been approved in Europe to treat ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis…
Gene Expression Markers in T Cells Help Identify SLE Patient Subtypes
Researchers used T cell transcriptome analysis in a small-scale study, identifying gene expression of specific patient subtypes and finding that expression alteration of T cells may correlate with severity of SLE rather than its presentation…
Oxycodone Capsules Put on Hold; Clinical Trials for Lupus Nephritis & SLE Therapies
Due to a lawsuit, the FDA has issued only tentative approval for an extended-release oxycodone capsule. Obinutuzumab is in clinical trials for lupus nephritis, and subcutaneous belimumab is being tested for SLE…
SLE—It’s in the Genes
In a large-scale genome-wide association study, researchers mapped 10 new SLE-associated loci and found aberrantly regulated gene expression networks may be behind SLE development…
Ro60 Autoantigen Regulates Inflammatory Gene Expression
New research links the RNA binding protein Ro60 with SLE pathogenesis and disease-causing inflammation…
Tabalumab Modestly Effective in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Tabalumab, a monoclonal antibody to B-cell activating factor, was modestly better than placebo in relieving symptoms of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), according to results from the ILLUMINATE-2 trial. “Lupus is a complicated disease that does not behave the same way in all patients who share the clinical symptoms,” Dr. Joan T. Merrill…
How Hospitals Rank in Treating Childhood-Onset SLE
A recent study of how medical facilities in three countries meet minimum care standards for patients with childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus found a wide variation in quality of care…
Understanding SLE-Associated Skin Injury May Open the Door to Therapies
In a recent review, researchers addressed skin injury in patients with SLE, discussing the effects of ultraviolet rays on the skin and the subsequent generation of autoantibodies. They concluded that UV rays activate immune cells where IgG has been deposited, resulting in inflammation…
Epratuzumab Results Disappointing, but Adalimumab Promising
Two Phase 3 trials have shown that epratuzumab did not meet its primary endpoints for treating SLE. Meanwhile, a Phase 3 study has shown adalimumab is effective for treating enthesitis-related arthritis in juveniles…