News

A new, simple blood test was found to be a good predictor of lupus nephritis (LN) relapses. LN is a kidney disease that is one of the complications of lupus. The test was also used to evaluate disease activity levels in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The study, “…

Young patients diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) show a high number of visits to healthcare facilities in the year before their diagnosis, research shows. The study, “High Health Care Utilization Preceding Diagnosis of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in Youth,” was published in the journal Arthritis Care & Research. While advances…

Adherence among lupus patients to hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), the backbone of disease therapy, is suboptimal overall but particularly poor among those on Medicaid who live in areas with fewer hospitals, larger African-American populations, and with a shortage of health professionals. These results were reported at the 2017 American College of Rheumatology Annual…

Corbus Pharmaceuticals has obtained a U.S. patent for the way that its therapy anabasum works to combat lupus, systemic sclerosis, cystic fibrosis and other inflammatory diseases. The protection that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office granted Corbus for the therapeutic process that anabasum uses will run through 2034. Anabasum is a synthetic…

Approximately one-third of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) admit to self-managing their corticosteroid medication without the consent of their rheumatologist or healthcare provider (HCP). The findings, which stem from the multi-country GSK suvey called EnABLE, highlight the need for a more proactive approach in lupus management, and improved awareness…

The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) has received a one-year, $250,000 grant from the Lupus Research Alliance to investigate how lupus develops and why some people are at greater risk for flare-ups and kidney disease. While no one knows exactly why lupus develops, researchers think a…

Environmental factors, including UV light and air pollution, can significantly contribute to the development or progression of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), according to a new review. The review, titled “Environmental triggers in systemic lupus erythematosus,” was led by Dr. Gaurav Gulati, MD, a physician-researcher at the University…

Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) show significantly higher rates for dementia compared to healthy people, according to a large cross-sectional Israeli study. The research, “High proportions of dementia among SLE patients: A big data analysis,” was published in the journal International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. Lupus…

Patients with more severe damage caused by systemic lupus erythematosus spend four times as much on healthcare than those with the lowest levels of lupus damage, Canadian researchers said at a recent scientific meeting. The findings underscore the importance of using more effective therapies in early disease stages, lowering costs…

Progentec Diagnostics is closer to marketing a new set of tools for predicting lupus flares after obtaining $1.25 million in financing. The Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation created the technology the company is using. Progentec is collaborating with Dr. Judith James, a lupus researcher who developed the technology, to refine the platform.