Results from a study recently published in the journal Arthritis Care and Research showed that the lower extremity strength or weakness of women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) was predictive of later higher or lower functional status but was unrelated to grip strength. Evidence showed that reduced…
Optimizing clinical care for patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) starts with understanding how disease activity affects health-related quality of life. Unless patients are able to report on their feelings and symptoms, clinicians are unable to determine how best to help their patients. Further, unless researchers determine how patients’ symptoms…
In a new study entitled “Treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus patients with the BAFF antagonist “peptibody” blisibimod (AMG 623/A-623): results from randomized, double-blind phase 1a and phase 1b trials” authors determined the safety, tolerability and efficacy of blisibimod, a B cell-activating factor antagonist, in patients with systemic…
Osteoporosis, a disease of low bone mass, can occur secondary to diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). While SLE itself does not seem to cause osteoporosis, chronic inflammation and long-term treatment with glucocorticoids can play a major role in inducing osteoporosis. In particular, it was shown in the article,…
A Phase 2 clinical trial testing the safety and efficacy of hCDR1 (Edratide) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) met its secondary endpoint, but not its first endpoint, suggesting that SLE patients may benefit from treatment. However, additional studies are required to be definitive. “A…
While biomedical research and development has come a long way in understanding lupus and how to manage it, experts believe they have barely made a dent in this autoimmune disease’s complexity and elusiveness. Many diseases stem from and degrade specific organs, which leads to tell-tale symptoms. Lupus, however, tends to…
Australian pharmaceutical giant Invion Limited, recently completed its phase II clinical study on INV103 (ala-Cpn10) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The study was designed to test the biochemical properties of the drug in escalating doses, administered to patients with SLE and other autoimmune disorders, in considerably higher numbers…
A new study led by researchers at the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit reported a case of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) linked to stroke-like symptoms. The study is entitled “Embolic Stroke as the Initial Manifestation of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus” and was published in the journal…
Results from a Phase 2a clinical trial recently presented during the European League Against Rheumatism Annual European Congress of Rheumatology revealed regional differences in the response to sifalimumab treatment in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. Sifalimumab (formerly MEDI-545) is an investigational human monoclonal antibody that targets IFN-α, a type of inflammatory cytokine in…
A team led by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center recently revealed new insights into the mechanisms underlying the development of autoimmunity in animal models of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The study was recently published in the journal Cell Reports and is…