News

Study Estimates Prevalence of BK Virus in Pediatric SLE Patients

Pediatric patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) may have a higher prevalence of detectable dormant BK virus (BKV) than the general population. These are the findings from the study, “BK viruria and viremia in children with systemic lupus erythematosus,” recently published…

Weary of Apologizing for Apologizing So Much: No More!

I have a chronic illness that I share with millions of people across the globe. And I am constantly apologizing for it. Unfamiliar to the general population, this chronic illness has been nicknamed an “invisible disease” because it is an auto-immune disorder that wreaks havoc internally. In fact, until…

People at High Risk for Lupus Can Be Identified Through Blood Test

Researchers have devised a blood test that predicts which blood relatives of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) — people who are at high risk of developing the disease — will actually develop it, even seven years before the disease declares itself. The blood test can be used to provide preventive…

Benlysta Reduces Lupus Activity and Improves Patient Outcomes, Study Indicates

Benlysta reduced systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) activity and improved patient outcomes, but smokers and those with significant organ damage failed to respond as well to it, according to a Swedish study. The findings could help doctors determine which patients could benefit the most from Benlysta, also known as belimumab or LymphoStat-B. The…

5 Ways to Protect Yourself From the Sun’s UV Rays

Sun exposure and ultraviolet lights can trigger many unpleasant symptoms for lupus patients like skin rashes, joint pain, fatigue and swelling of internal organs. With help from healthline.com, we’ve put together some tips and tricks to keep you safe from the sun this summer: Sun Screen Try to limit the time you…

Neonatal Lupus Syndrome Is Usually Mild and Short-term, Study Finds

Infants with neonatal lupus syndrome can have autoantibodies that fight other autoantibodies. In this case, the autoantibodies doing the targeting are fighting SSA/Ro autoantibodies associated with the development of autoimmune diseases. Now researchers have discovered that most infants with neonatal lupus syndrome who have the autoantibodies that fight SSA/Ro develop mild…

NYC Handbag Luncheon, Silent Auction Raises Funds for Lupus Research

Nearly 300 leaders in the New York fashion, entertainment and entertainment world gathered at the Plaza Hotel on April 4 for the 8th Annual Lupus Handbag Luncheon & Silent Auction. The event — the first hosted by the newly formed Lupus Research Alliance — raised an unspecified amount of money for lupus…