Repeat Kidney Biopsy Findings of Lupus Nephritis Patients in Clinical Remission Treated with Mycophenolate Associated with Belimumab or Mycophenolate Plus Standard of Care Therapy. A “Post-hoc" Analysis of Participants in the BLISS-LN and Open Label Extension Study Belonging to a Single Center
doi: 10.1177/09612033231204070 Epub ahead of print
Single-centre study concludes that adding belimumab to the standard of care treatment with mycophenolate (MMF) increases the possibility of achieving a complete clinical response (CCR), complete histological response (CHR), and a lower rate of relapses during treatment and long follow-up.
It has been hypothesised that an early and intensive treatment might guarantee a faster decline in inflammation and, subsequently, reduce the extent of scarring and future renal failure in patients with SLE. In this post hoc analysis of the BLISS-LN and open-label extension study, Malvar, et al., compared the histologic changes (active and chronic) observed between initial biopsies performed before starting immunosuppressant therapy and second biopsies carried-out before withdrawing immunosuppression.
