RT Book, Section
A1 Khosroshahi, Arezou
A1 Lim, S. Sam
A2 Stone, John H.
SR Print(0)
ID 1180196632
T1 Treatment of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
T2 Current Diagnosis & Treatment: Rheumatology, 4e
YR 2021
FD 2021
PB McGraw Hill
PP New York, NY
SN 9781259644641
LK accessmedicine.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1180196632
RD 2024/04/20
AB Systemic  lupus  erythematosus  (SLE  or  lupus)  is  an  autoimmune  disease  associated  with  autoantibody  production  and  immune  complex  deposition.  The  disease  is  heterogeneous  in  its  clinical  presentation,  course,  and  prognosis.  Despite  many  advances  in  understanding  of  the  human  immune  system  in  recent  decades,  diagnostic  and  treatment  approaches  in  SLE  remain  mostly  the  same.  Patients  with  SLE  have  significantly  increased  morbidity  and  mortality.  The  risk  of  death  in  SLE  patients  is  reported  to  be  two  to  five  times  higher  than  the  general  population.  Although  the  survival  rate  of  patients  with  SLE  has  improved  from  a  4-year  survival  rate  of  50%  in  1950  to  a  15-year  survival  rate  of  85%  in  2013,  the  mortality  remains  high  compared  to  the  general  population  and  lupus  nephritis  (LN)  outcomes  have  not  changed  in  the  past  30  years.  Successful  treatments,  as  measured  by  long-term  remission,  are  limited,  and  at  this  time  only  one  new  medication—belimumab—has  been  approved  for  SLE  in  more  than  60  years.  Patients  with  SLE  rarely  achieve  complete  disease  remissions  with  the  currently  available  treatments.