Medication Use in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

2010 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 271-274 ◽  
Author(s):  
SASHA BERNATSKY ◽  
CHRISTINE PESCHKEN ◽  
PAUL R. FORTIN ◽  
CHRISTI A. PINEAU ◽  
MURRAY B. UROWITZ ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus ◽  
Clinical Practice ◽  
Disease Activity ◽  
Lupus Erythematosus ◽  
Independent Predictor ◽  
Immunosuppressive Agents ◽  
Medication Use ◽  
Systemic Lupus ◽  
Antimalarial Agents ◽  
Race Ethnicity

Objective.To evaluate factors affecting therapeutic approaches used in clinical practice for the management of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), in a multicenter cohort.Methods.We combined data from 10 clinical adult SLE cohort registries in Canada. We used multivariate generalized estimating equation methods to model dichotomized outcomes, running separate regressions where the outcome was current exposure of the patient to specific medications. Potential predictors of medication use included demographic (baseline age, sex, residence, race/ethnicity) and clinical factors (disease duration, time-dependent damage index scores, and adjusted mean SLE Disease Activity Index-2K scores). The models also adjusted for clustering by center.Results.Higher disease activity and damage scores were each independent predictors of exposure to nonsteroid immunosuppressive agents, and for exposure to prednisone. This was not definitely demonstrated for antimalarial agents. Older age at diagnosis was independently and inversely associated with exposure to any of the agents studied (immunosuppressive agents, prednisone, and antimalarial agents). An additional independent predictor of prednisone exposure was black race/ethnicity (adjusted RR 1.46, 95% CI 1.18, 1.81). For immunosuppressive exposure, an additional independent predictor was race/ethnicity, with greater exposure among Asians (RR 1.39, 95% CI 1.02, 1.89) and persons identifying themselves as First Nations/Inuit (2.09, 95% CI 1.43, 3.04) than among whites. All of these findings were reproduced when adjustment for disease activity was limited to renal involvement.Conclusion.Ours is the first portrayal of determinants of clinical practice patterns in SLE, and offers interesting real-world insights. Further work, including efforts to determine how differing clinical approaches may influence outcome, is in progress.

scholarly journals Systemic lupus erythematosus and infections

Reumatismo ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 72 (3) ◽  
pp. 154-169
Author(s):  
B.K. Singh ◽  
S. Singh
Keyword(s):  
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus ◽  
Disease Activity ◽  
Lupus Erythematosus ◽  
Opportunistic Infections ◽  
Immunosuppressive Agents ◽  
Immune Dysregulation ◽  
Systemic Lupus ◽  
Irreversible Damage ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Increased Susceptibility

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an inflammatory and multi-systemic autoimmune disorder, characterized by an uncontrolled auto-reactivity of B and T lymphocytes, leading to the production of autoantibodies against self-directed antigens and tissue damage. The life expectancy in patients with SLE has improved tremendously in the last two decades, but the mortality rates still remain three times greater compared to those of the general population. Despite increased awareness and improved management, infections remain a major source of morbidity, mortality, hospitalization, and death in patients with SLE. The infections in SLE patients widely range from opportunistic to common bacterial and viral infections with typical or atypical presentations. Moreover, SLE patients exhibit an increased susceptibility to hospital-acquired infections. Factors associated with increased risk of infections include high disease activity, specific immune dysregulation, drug-induced immune deficiency, and organ failure with irreversible damage. Furthermore, immunosuppressive agents may make patients more susceptible to opportunistic infections. A big challenge faced by physicians in these patients is to distinguish between infections and flares of SLE, as infections may mimic them, leading to predicament in diagnosis and appropriate management. Immunosuppression used to treat severe flares of lupus can have catastrophic complications in patients with active infections. There is an urgent need for biomarkers to make an accurate differential diagnosis in this situation. In spite of increased understanding of SLE, many questions remain unanswered. Further research is needed to determine specific immune dysregulation underlying the increased susceptibility to specific infections, predictors of infection in SLE such as genetic markers, and biomarkers that discriminate between disease activity and active infections. Also, measures must be evaluated appropriately to prevent infections, and their complications in SLE.

scholarly journals Hydroxychloroquine versus tacrolimus for the treatment of persistently active systemic lupus erythematosus

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masahiro Ayano ◽  
Yasutaka Kimoto ◽  
Hiroki Mitoma ◽  
Mitsuteru Akahoshi ◽  
Nobuyuki Ono ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus ◽  
Adverse Events ◽  
Treatment Failure ◽  
Disease Activity ◽  
Lupus Erythematosus ◽  
Immunosuppressive Agents ◽  
Efficacy And Safety ◽  
Systemic Lupus ◽  
Low Disease Activity ◽  
Free Survival

ABSTRACT Objectives We aimed to reveal the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) compared with tacrolimus (TAC), an immunosuppressive agent, in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with persistent activity on standard treatment. Methods We retrospectively compared the efficacy and safety of the treatment between 18 patients receiving HCQ and 27 patients receiving TAC. None of the patients were in the lupus low disease activity state (LLDAS) at the beginning of this study. The efficacy end points were the cumulative incidence of LLDAS attainment without additional immunosuppressive agents, drug continuation rate, and treatment failure–free survival. The safety end point was the frequency of adverse events. Results Eight (44.4%) patients in the HCQ group and 10 (37.0%) patients in the TAC group achieved LLDAS during the follow-up period; thus, the cumulative incidences of LLDAS attainment of the two treatments were nearly identical. The drug continuation and treatment failure–free survival rates were also not different between the two groups. The frequency of adverse events showed no clear differences between the two groups. Conclusions The efficacy and safety of an add-on treatment with HCQ are similar to those with TAC. Patients with persistently active SLE can benefit from HCQ in efforts to achieve at least low disease activity.

scholarly journals Longitudinal analysis of varicella-zoster virus-specific antibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus: No association with subclinical viral reactivations or lupus disease activity

Lupus ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 27 (8) ◽  
pp. 1271-1278 ◽  
Author(s):  
C Rondaan ◽  
C C van Leer ◽  
S van Assen ◽  
H Bootsma ◽  
K de Leeuw ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus ◽  
Herpes Zoster ◽  
Disease Activity ◽  
Varicella Zoster Virus ◽  
Lupus Erythematosus ◽  
Medication Use ◽  
Systemic Lupus ◽  
Varicella Zoster ◽  
Antibody Levels ◽  
Lupus Disease Activity

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients are at high risk of herpes zoster. Previously, we found increased immunoglobulin (Ig)G levels against varicella-zoster virus (VZV) in SLE patients compared to controls, while antibody levels against diphtheria and cellular immunity to VZV were decreased. We aimed to test our hypothesis that increased VZV-IgG levels in SLE result from subclinical VZV reactivations, caused by stress because of lupus disease activity or immunosuppressive drug use. Methods Antibody levels to VZV (IgG, IgA, IgM), total IgG and VZV-DNA were longitudinally determined in the serum of 34 SLE patients, using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and polymerase chain reaction. Clinical data were retrieved from medical records. Reactivation of VZV was defined as an at least fivefold rise in VZV-IgG or presence of VZV-IgM or VZV-DNA. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) were used to longitudinally analyse associations between antibody levels, lupus disease activity and medication use. Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index, anti-double-stranded DNA and complement levels were used as indicators of lupus disease activity. Results A VZV reactivation was determined in 11 patients (33%). In at least five of them, herpes zoster was clinically overt. No association between SLE disease activity or medication use and VZV-specific antibody levels was found. There was a weak association between total IgG and VZV-IgG. Conclusions Our results indicate that increased VZV-IgG levels in SLE do not result from frequent subclinical VZV reactivations, and are not associated with lupus disease activity. Increased VZV-IgG can only partially be explained by hypergammaglobulinaemia.

Assessment of Quality of Life (QoL) in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Egypt

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 304-311
Author(s):  
Mervat E. Behiry ◽  
Sahar A. Ahmed ◽  
Eman H. Elsebaie
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus ◽  
Disease Activity ◽  
Lupus Erythematosus ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Damage Index ◽  
Life Questionnaire ◽  
Care Hospital ◽  
Systemic Lupus

: Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) has a profound impact on quality of life. Objective: The objective of this study was to explore the quality of life among Egyptian SLE patients and to assess its relationships with demographic and clinical features. Methods: One hundred sixty-four SLE patients were recruited for this study. Demographic information; clinical parameters; disease activity, as evaluated by the systemic lupus erythematosus Disease Activity Index; and organ damage, as assessed by the systemic lupus international Collaborative Clinics/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index, were reported. Quality of life was assessed with a quality of life questionnaire specifically designed for patients with systemic lupus erythematosus; the questions are grouped in the following six domains: physical function, sociooccupational activities, symptoms, treatment, mood, and self-image. Higher values indicate poorer quality of life. Conclusion: Poor quality of life among Egyptian SLE patients and disease activity are strongly related to impaired lifestyles in these patients.

Impact of markers of endothelial injury and hypercoagulability on systemic lupus erythematosus

Lupus ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 182-190
Author(s):  
W Batista Cicarini ◽  
R C Figueiredo Duarte ◽  
K Silvestre Ferreira ◽  
C de Mello Gomes Loures ◽  
R Vargas Consoli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus ◽  
Disease Activity ◽  
Lupus Erythematosus ◽  
Activity Index ◽  
Disease Activity Index ◽  
Endothelial Injury ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Systemic Lupus ◽  
Low Concentrations ◽  
The Relationship

We have explored the relationship between possible hemostatic changes and clinical manifestation of the systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) as a function of greater or lesser disease activity according to Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index-2000 (SLEDAI-2K) criteria. Endothelial injury and hypercoagulability were investigated in patients with SLE by measuring thrombomodulin (TM), D-dimer (DDi) and thrombin generation (TG) potential. A total of 90 participants were distributed into three groups: 1) women with SLE presenting with low disease activity (laSLE) (SLEDAI-2K ≤ 4), 2) women with SLE presenting with moderate to high disease activity (mhaSLE) (SLEDAI-2K > 4), and 3) a control group comprising healthy women. Levels of TM and DDi were higher both in the laSLE and mhaSLE groups compared to controls and in mhaSLE compared to the laSLE group. With respect to TG assay, lagtime and endogen thrombin potential, low concentrations of tissue factor provided the best results for discrimination among groups. Analysis of these data allow us to conclude that TM, DDi and TG are potentially useful markers for discriminating patients with very active from those with lower active disease. Higher SLE activity may cause endothelial injury, resulting in higher TG and consequently a hypercoagulability state underlying the picture of thrombosis common in this inflammatory disease.

scholarly journals Methyl donor micronutrients, CD40-ligand methylation and disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus: A cross-sectional association study

Lupus ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 096120332110345
Author(s):  
Stefan Vordenbäumen ◽  
Alexander Sokolowski ◽  
Anna Rosenbaum ◽  
Claudia Gebhard ◽  
Johanna Raithel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus ◽  
Dna Methylation ◽  
T Cells ◽  
Disease Activity ◽  
Lupus Erythematosus ◽  
Cd40 Ligand ◽  
Systemic Lupus ◽  
Methyl Donors ◽  
Methyl Donor ◽  
The Mean

Objective Hypomethylation of CD40-ligand (CD40L) in T-cells is associated with increased disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We therefore investigated possible associations of dietary methyl donors and products with CD40L methylation status in SLE. Methods Food frequency questionnaires were employed to calculate methyl donor micronutrients in 61 female SLE patients (age 45.7 ± 12.0 years, disease duration 16.2 ± 8.4 years) and compared to methylation levels of previously identified key DNA methylation sites (CpG17 and CpG22) within CD40L promotor of T-cells using quantitative DNA methylation analysis on the EpiTYPER mass spectrometry platform. Disease activity was assessed by SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI). Linear regression modelling was used. P values were adjusted according to Benjamini & Hochberg. Results Amongst the micronutrients assessed (g per day), methionine and cysteine were associated with methylation of CpG17 (β = 5.0 (95%CI: 0.6-9.4), p = 0.04; and β = 2.4 (0.6-4.1), p = 0.02, respectively). Methionine, choline, and cysteine were additionally associated with the mean methylation of the entire CD40L (β = 9.5 (1.0-18.0), p = 0.04; β = 1.6 (0.4-3.0), p = 0.04; and β = 4.3 (0.9-7.7), p = 0.02, respectively). Associations of the SLEDAI with hypomethylation were confirmed for CpG17 (β=-32.6 (-60.6 to -4.6), p = 0.04) and CpG22 (β=-38.3 (-61.2 to -15.4), p = 0.004), but not the mean methylation of CD40L. Dietary products with the highest impact on methylation included meat, ice cream, white bread, and cooked potatoes. Conclusions Dietary methyl donors may influence DNA methylation levels and thereby disease activity in SLE.

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