Lupus Foundation of America Creates Online Hub for Latest News, Research

Aiming to distill the latest in a record number of ongoing global research in lupus, the Lupus Foundation of America (LFA) has created a new digital resource called Inside Lupus Research.

The dedicated online source for research updates is hosted on the Foundation’s website. Designed for patients and caregivers, it covers news from top lupus peer-reviewed journals, public and private research centers, medical centers, and government entities. News summaries include links to publications.

The site offers updates on a broad range of investigations including new insights into genetics, the prospective role of environmental triggers in symptom flares, the impact of gut bacteria, and the latest on novel therapies. More research studies are underway today than in any other time in history, according to a news release announcing the site.

Articles are categorized into one of three research areas: basic science news, disease management news, and treatment news.

“As the leader in lupus research, the Lupus Foundation of America wants to ensure that people living with lupus are well informed of the research advancements most important to them,” said Stevan W. Gibson, foundation president and CEO.

“But we also know how difficult that can be. Inside Lupus Research will help those affected by lupus easily access the timeliest, most authoritative research news available.”

Founded in 1977, the LFA’s mission is to improve the quality of life for patients with lupus —  an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation and can affect all major organs  — through research, education, support, and advocacy.

The Foundation estimates that 1.5 million U.S. residents, and at least five million globally, have a form of lupus, a disease that strikes mostly women of childbearing age.

In this debilitating disease, the body’s immune system produces antibodies against its own tissues, ultimately leading to organ damage and failure. Many lupus symptoms — extreme fatigue, fever, headache, anemia, joint pain, and swelling — are common in other illnesses, making lupus difficult to diagnose. As a result, patients often wait an average of six years after symptom onset before their condition is diagnosed.