Publications
Find coverage of the latest original articles on Lupus, focusing on those with data on therapeutic interventions and those that have clinical impact.
This activity is supported by an educational grant from AstraZeneca.
Efficacy and safety of sequential therapy with subcutaneous belimumab and one cycle of rituximab in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: the phase 3, randomised, placebo-controlled BLISS-BELIEVE study
Ann Rheum Dis 2024;0:1–11 DOI 10.1136/ard-2024-225686.
Aranow et al. evaluated the efficacy and safety of combining subcutaneous belimumab with one cycle of rituximab in SLE. Sequential therapy did not show a statistically significant improvement in disease control over belimumab monotherapy, but did achieve nominally better reductions in disease activity markers.
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Urinary soluble CD163 is useful as "liquid biopsy" marker in lupus nephritis at both diagnosis and follow-up to predict impending flares
J Transl Autoimmun 2024;9:100244 DOI 10.1016/j.jtauto.2024.100244
Renaudineau, et al. show that the urinary sCD163/creatinurea ratio is a parameter than can be used in addition to anti-dsDNA antibodies, anti-C1q antibodies, C3 complement fraction, the protein excretion to creatinine ratio and the estimated glomerular filtration rate.
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Efficacy and safety of upadacitinib or elsubrutinib alone or in combination for systemic lupus erythematosus: A Phase 2 randomized controlled trial
Arthritis Rheumatol 2024 DOI: 10.1002/art.42926 Epub ahead of print
Daily oral upadacitinib 30 mg and ABBV-599 high dose (elsubrutinib 60 mg QD + upadacitinib 30 mg) were effective in multiple outcome measures including disease activity, flares, time to first flare, and joint counts.
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Association of sustained lupus low disease activity state with improved outcomes in systemic lupus erythematosus: a multinational prospective cohort study
Lancet Rheumatol 2024:S2665-9913(24)00121-8 DOI 10.1016/S2665-9913(24)00121-8 Epub ahead of print
This study by Golder, et al. showed a significant protective association of lupus low disease activity state (LLDAS) and remission against damage accrual and flare. The authors also found a threshold of 3 months sustained LLDAS or remission, and that 3 months of sustained LLDAS are attainable in the setting of a 6–12-month clinical trial.
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Efficacy and safety of telitacicept therapy in systemic lupus erythematosus with hematological involvement
Clin Rheumatol. 2024 May 20 doi: 10.1007/s10067-024-06992-7. Epub ahead of print
This real-world combination of telitacicept and standard treatment demonstrated significant improvements in anaemia, as well as increased leukocyte and platelet levels in patients with SLE and haematological involvement. Here, investigators sought to evaluate the efficacy and safety of telitacicept in combination with standard treatment in SLE patients specifically with haematological involvement.
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SLESIS-R: an improved score for prediction of serious infection in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus based on the RELESSER prospective cohort
Lupus Sci Med. 2024; 11(1): e001096 DOI: 10.1136/lupus-2023-001096
SLESIS-R may help clinicians make informed decisions on the occurrence of a serious infection in the following year in SLE from four variables: age ≥60 years, previous admission for SLE, previous infection and having received a maximum dose of glucocorticoids ≥30 mg.
Belimumab Corticosteroid‑Sparing Treatment in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: a Real‑Life Observational Study (BESST)
Rheumatol. Int. 2024 Apr 30:1–7 DOI: 10.1007/s00296-024-05589-2 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38687385/
Belimumab confers an early and sustained corticosteroid-sparing effect after 3 months of treatment in SLE patients. This was demonstrated by a significant prednisone dose reduction that continued through months 6 and 12, and was sustained until month 24.
Cardiovascular risk factors and complications in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus with and without nephritis: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Lupus Sci Med 2024;11(1):e001152 DOI 10.1136/lupus-2024-001152
Patients with SLE and LN show increased risk of CV risk factors including diabetes mellitus, hypertension and hyperlipidaemia versus patients without nephritis.
CD19 CAR T-Cell therapy in autoimmune disease - A case series with follow-up
N Engl J Med 2024;390(8):687–700 DOI 10.1056/NEJMoa2308917
In this case series by Müller, et al., eight patients who received a CD19 CAR T-cell infusion achieved Definition of Remission in SLE (DORIS) remission, Lupus Low Disease Activity State and a SLEDAI 2K score of 0 at 6 months post-infusion. Long-term follow-up through 24 months showed that SLE disease activity remained absent
in all eight patients.
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Mycophenolate mofetil withdrawal in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: A multicentre, open-label, randomised controlled trial
Lancet Rheumatol 224;6(3):e168–77 DOI 10.1016/S2665-9913(23)00320-X
Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) withdrawal was not significantly inferior to MMF maintenance through Week 60 in patients with SLE that had been treated with MMF for ≥1 year.