Flares after Hydroxychloroquine Reduction or Discontinuation: Results from the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC) Inception Cohort
Ann Rheum Dis. 2021:annrheumdis-2021-221295. Epub ahead of print
Evidence suggests that hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) reduction/withdrawal may be safe in some stable patients, but in other settings it may be associated with disease flare. Almeida-Brasil, et al. sought to evaluate SLE flares following HCQ reduction or discontinuation versus HCQ maintenance. Their data suggest that maintaining HCQ was associated with a lower flare risk than reduction or discontinuation, even in patients with low disease activity or remission.
While their findings remain complex, these results should help facilitate discussions with patients on the trade-offs between the risk of disease flare, with the potential benefits of tapering HCQ.