Tacrolimus is an effective and safe alternative for the long-term maintenance of lupus nephritis, reducing the need for steroids, in patients who do not respond to other immunosuppressants, a five-year retrospective study shows. The study, “Long-term effects of tacrolimus for maintenance therapy of lupus nephritis: a 5-year retrospective study at a single center,”…
SERPINA3 — a protein involved in inflammation — could serve as an urine indicator of lupus nephritis progression and chronic disease in children, a pilot study suggests. The study, “Discovery of SERPINA3 as a candidate urinary biomarker of lupus nephritis activity,” was published in the journal Rheumatology. Up…
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients who volunteer for phone counseling with other lupus patients also benefit significantly from the experience, reporting reduced isolation and an increased ability to cope with their own disease, a study found. The study, “The Effect and Psychosocial Impact of a Longstanding Telephone…
The immunosuppressant leflunomide appears to be as effective as azathioprine in maintaining remission and delaying disease relapse in people with lupus nephritis, a clinical trial in more than 200 patients in China showed. The study’s results were recently presented at the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 2018 Annual Meeting in Chicago, detailed…
Nitro-fatty acids — a type of fatty molecule naturally produced in the body — could act as natural inhibitors of the stimulator of IFN genes (STING), a protein involved in inflammatory diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), according to a study. The study, “Nitro-fatty acids are formed in…
Transplanting regulatory T-cells — cells that suppress the immune system — resolved skin inflammation in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus, Phase 1 clinical trial results show. The study, “Adoptive Regulatory T Cell Therapy in a Patient with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus,” was published in the journal Arthritis &…
Organs affected by autoimmune disease might be able to suppress T-cell function in a manner that is similar to tumors, actively preventing them from causing damage, a study in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) shows. The findings, however, suggest that cancer immunotherapies that work to reactivate the immune system could have…