One-quarter of systemic lupus erythematosus patients in the U.S. taking hydroxychloroquine tablets daily are exceeding the recommended doses for this treatment, and up to one-third of those on alternate-day treatment are forgetting or mixing up their medication, a study reports. The problem, researchers say, is that only 200 mg tablets…
In Asian patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is more prevalent and associated with worse overall survival rates than it is for patients in western countries, a study reports. It also suggests systemic hypertension (high blood pressure) as a risk factor for the development of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).
The immunosuppressive agent tacrolimus, used in combination with other immunosuppressants, was deemed safe and effective for treatment of lupus nephritis, a serious complication of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a new study shows. The study, “Efficacy and safety of tacrolimus in induction therapy of patients with lupus nephritis,” was published…
Levels of circulating cell-free DNA can potentially be used as a biomarker for assessing disease activity and monitoring treatment effectiveness in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a study shows. The study, “High levels of circulating cell free DNA are a biomarker of active SLE,” was published in…
Hydroxychloroquine, an antimalarial medication, can help normalize levels of an immune molecule that promotes inflammation in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, a study shows. The study, “Efficacy analysis of hydroxychloroquine therapy in systemic lupus erythematosus: a study on disease activity and immunological biomarkers,” was published in the journal Inflammopharmacology. Systemic lupus…
Patients participating in Phase 3 clinical trials testing new therapies for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are not necessarily representative of real-world patient populations, according to a new report. Even if the therapies being investigated reach the market, real-world experiences may differ significantly from trial results because many lupus patients…
Skepticism as to whether physicians or other providers should determine one’s health, along with the perception that a medicine is harmful or addictive, help to explain why patients with systemic lupus erythematosus don’t adhere to their medication regimen, a new study shows. Researchers also found that a patient’s age, and…
Designing therapeutics that block cGAS–STING — a cell-signaling pathway associated with inflammation — could help treat patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, a new study suggests. The study, “Apoptosis-derived membrane vesicles drive the cGAS–STING pathway and enhance type I IFN production in systemic lupus erythematosus,” was published in the journal…
Levels of certain antibodies are significantly associated with particular clinical characteristics of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and could be used to assess disease activity in patients, a study finds. The study, “Antibodies to extractable nuclear antigens (ENAS) in systemic lupus erythematosus patients: correlations with clinical manifestations and disease…
The relationship between emotional health and work/regular activities of daily living is influenced by the use of corticosteroids in women with systemic lupus erythematosus, a new study shows. The study, “Cultural and quality-of-life considerations when administering corticosteroids as a therapeutic strategy for African American women living with systemic lupus…