Patients with lupus nephritis — a lupus-associated type of kidney inflammation — can sometimes develop a rare immune disorder, called thrombotic microangiopathy, as a consequence of excessive activation of the complement system. Using Soliris (eculizumab) to prevent over-activation is an effective way of treating these patients, a study found. Outcomes in 11…
Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who develop pneumonia have a high risk of adverse prognosis, according to a new study. The findings also revealed that common scales of pneumonia severity can misclassify cases of SLE and pneumonia as low risk. The research, “Pneumonia in patients…
Women with a history of depression have more than twice the risk of developing systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), according to a two-decade prospective study from Harvard. The study, “Association of Depression With Risk of Incident Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in Women Assessed Across 2 Decades,” was published in…
Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus in remission for five or more years are at a lower risk of cardiovascular disease than those with shorter remission times or who fail to enter remission, a retrospective study reports. The study, “Prolonged remission is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease…
Immune cells of the brain and spinal cord, called microglia, contribute to the cognitive deficits seen in some systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients by trimming neurons in the central nervous system, researchers at The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research suggest. Medications commonly used to treat high blood pressure – called…
The transplantation of human placental cells was found to suppress immune and inflammatory responses in a mouse model of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), suggesting a potential new therapeutic strategy for lupus, a study shows. The study, “Therapeutic effect of human amniotic epithelial cells in murine models of…
Kidney function improved and inflammation eased in a mice model of lupus nephritis by preventing a receptor — called Axl — on a protein complex from turning active by using a small molecule now in clinical testing, researchers report. Their study, “Targeted inhibition of Axl receptor tyrosine kinase ameliorates anti-GBM-…
Anifrolumab, MedImmune‘s investigational antibody being developed to treat systemic lupus erythematosus, is no better than placebo at reducing disease activity, results from the pivotal TULIP 1 Phase 3 clinical trial show. “The result of this trial is disappointing for patients and the lupus community,” Sean Bohen, MD, PhD, said in…
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…
A series of recently identified small molecules targeting a protein called NR2F6 could lead to new treatments for autoimmune diseases such as lupus, according to Regen BioPharma. NR2F6 is a type of molecule called transcription factor that suppresses gene expression — the transcription of DNA into RNA, the…