Lupus

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the approval of anifrolumab-fnia (Saphnelo™) for the treatment of moderate to severe systemic lupus erythematosus.

Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus presented more cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy, along with impaired health-related quality of life and parasympathetic function, when compared with a control cohort.

The painTRAINER program included 8 weekly modules, in addition to coping skill activities, in which investigators measured outcomes including the Pain Catastrophizing Scale, pain interference, physical function, anxiety and depression, fatigue, and sleep disturbances.

Glucocorticoid withdrawal over a prolonged period of time did not increase clinical flares or damage for patients with inactive systemic lupus erythematosus.

Research indicates that patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases (AIRD) did not differ from the general population in terms of protective antibody responses against COVID-19.

A higher proportion of patients with immune-mediated diseases experienced ≥1 thromboembolic events at baseline compared to those without an IMD.

Richard Furie, MD, explains the safety and efficacy of BIIB059 for patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the study design and background on his upcoming SLE study, and Biogen’s ongoing commitment to including underrepresented groups in its clinical trials.

Eric Morand, MD, PhD, explains why rheumatologists failing in lupus while succeeding so spectacularly in diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and what needs to change.

Researchers cite a lack of knowledge on the disease and treatments, which they believe affect the quality of life of patients.

An expert rheumatologist shares key insights into common causes, typical presentation, and differential diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematous (SLE) and idiopathic inflammatory myopathies.

Neil Solomons, MD, sits down to discuss his latest study, entitled “Aurinia Announces Publication of AURORA 1 Phase 3 Study Results with LUPKYNIS™ (voclosporin) in The Lancet,” which will be presented at EULAR 2021.

As systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and/or antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) can cause complications during pregnancy, investigators believe it is imperative that women follow the clinical practice guidelines and receive multidisciplinary counseling before trying to conceive.

Poorer results were associated with lower socioeconomic status (SES) and not being able to access telehealth, which emphasizes the need for access to healthcare and attention to vulnerable populations, such as those with rheumatic diseases, during the pandemic.

“In this large, multiethnic, single-center, cohort study of children born to anti-Ro antibody positive mothers, the child’s ethnicity was not associated with NLE risk, nor specific NLE manifestations,” stated investigators.

While further studies are needed, the results indicate that resolving the SDoH issues, via programs like the iCMP, may decrease healthcare costs while equalizing care and outcomes for both patients with SLE and those with complex chronic conditions in general.

While some patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) find it beneficial to receive anti-inflammatory therapy to treat their fatigue, there is increasingly more evidence that chronic diseases increase risk of psychiatric disorders, such as anxiety and depression, which need to be treated differently.

Patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases (IRD) may be more likely to acquire severe pneumonia due to COVID-19, especially in patients with autoimmune disease who are being treated with rituximab.

Currently, diagnosing a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex process that compares potential lupus with other conditions. It can be challenging and delayed by a period of time, which increases patient uncertainty, referrals, healthcare utilization, increased flares, and organ dysfunction. In this study, machine learning (ML) via artificial intelligence tools based on patient data was used to develop an algorithm to help with SLE diagnosis.

Brian Skaggs, PhD, and Maureen McMahon, MD, sat down with Rheumatology Network to discuss the results of their longitudinal study, “A Panel of Biomarkers Associates With Increased Risk for Cardiovascular Events in Women With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.”

In the second portion of this series, Dr. Concoff discusses the path forward in the evaluation and treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Investigators explored the connection between patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and an increased risk of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which concurrently correlated with worse patient-reported outcomes (PROs) cross-sectionally.

This week we sat down for an interview with Arthur Kavanaugh, MD, to discuss his presentations for the Rheumatology Winter Clinical Symposium. He is currently the chairman for the 2021 conference. Kavanaugh is Professor of Medicine and Director of the Center for Innovative Therapy at UC San Diego. He will be presenting his findings on Rheumatology 2020: A Year in Review for rheumatoid arthritis, spondylarthritis, and psoriatic arthritis. We discuss what sets RWCS apart from other conferences and the exciting content that participants can expect.

Voclosporin (LUPKYNIS), in combination with an existing immunosuppressive therapy regimen, works to safely and effectively treat adult patients with lupus nephritis.

Alyssa Johnsen, MD, PhD, shares her insight on the importance of understanding key pathways that drive immune-mediated diseases, which can help rheumatologists develop more potent and specific therapies for patients with rheumatic disease.

The reviewers find persistent disease activity and flares despite progress to date. In addition, they point to the persistence of glucocorticoid treatment dependency, comorbidity burden, reduced health-related quality of life, and inconsistent access to high-quality care.