Lupus News

Adding the calcineurin inhibitor voclosporin to the standard of care was effective in treating lupus nephritis across all biopsy classes, according to pooled data from the AURA-LV and AURORA trials.

Darker skin tones are “significantly underrepresented” in rheumatology clinical image banks, including the American College of Rheumatology Image Library and The New England Journal of Medicine Images in Clinical Medicine, according to data.

Rituximab was associated with more severe COVID-19 in patients with inflammatory rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases, according to data published in The Lancet Rheumatology.

The incidence of scleritis declined by about a third in the United Kingdom between 1997 and 2018, according to data published in Arthritis & Rheumatology.

Patients with inflammatory rheumatic disease, but especially those with autoimmune conditions, as well as those treated with rituximab, may be at greater risk for severe COVID-19 pneumonia than the general population, according to data.

COVID-19 is more severe, with more complications and higher mortality, than influenza among patients with autoimmune disease, according to data published in Rheumatology.

Although cost, side effects and a busy schedule are among the most cited barriers to lupus treatment adherence in racial minorities, specific hurdles vary by patient and adherence level, requiring a personalized approach, according to data.

An initial median prednisone dose of 45 mg per day achieved significantly better complete renal response rates at 1 year in patients with new-onset lupus nephritis, according to data published in Arthritis Care & Research.

Patient voices are growing louder in rheumatology. The calls for shared decision-making and a dual target strategy of assessing disease remission are increasing with a body of evidence showing that when patient needs are met, outcomes improve.

Twitter use revealed “early signals” of drug rationing and other critical behavior changes in patients with rheumatic diseases as they navigated the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to data published in Rheumatology.