Systemic Lupus Erythematosus News

• Alert EMA Panel Backs Belimumab for Children With Lupus An EMA panel recommended extending the indication for belimumab to children aged 5 years and older with systemic lupus erythematosus.
  International Approvals, September 2019
• A 'Unicorn' Pushes for Diversity in Dermatology Years-long efforts to diversify dermatology, one of the least diverse medical specialties, are gaining momentum.
  Medscape Medical News, September 2019
• New Criteria a 'Paradigm Shift' for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus New classification criteria for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) from the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) represent a "paradigm shift" in how the disease is diagnosed and studied, the developers say.
  Reuters Health Information, September 2019
• Poorer Kids May Have Less Shade in Their Schoolyards Elementary schools with the greatest proportions of poor children may have the least amount of shade in their schoolyards where kids spend their recess, a new U.S. study finds.
  Reuters Health Information, August 2019
• Findings That Led to $183 Million Drug Development Deal Questioned Scientists tried to replicate some findings of a 'landmark' immunology study and were unable to do so.
  Medscape Medical News, July 2019
• Pregnancy Outcomes Improved in Lupus Pregnancy outcomes improved among women with lupus over the past 2 decades; one expert questioned results and stressed that these women are still at high risk for poor outcomes such as maternal death.
  Medscape Medical News, July 2019
• NICA 2019Step Therapy Costs Patient Vision in Right Eye Cost- and formulary-driven treatment switches — both pressing policy issues — can alter the course of shared decisions between physicians and patients, sometimes with unintended consequences.
  Medscape Medical News, June 2019
• NICA 2019Infusion Centers Help Navigate Cost of Care Ambulatory infusion centers address the needs of their patients and can deliver therapy at half the cost of hospitals, experts report at the National Infusion Center Association Meeting.
  Medscape Medical News, June 2019
• Alert FDA OKs First Treatment for Pediatric Lupus Belimumab (Benlysta) intravenous infusion, already approved in adults, may now be used in children aged 5 years and older with active SLE.
  FDA Approvals, April 2019
• Immune Signatures Differ Between Healthy Vs Complicated Lupus Pregnancies Healthy and uncomplicated lupus pregnancies have similar immune signatures that differ from those in complicated lupus pregnancies, researchers report.
  Reuters Health Information, April 2019
• New Technique May Help Detect Hydroxychloroquine-induced Eye Problems Swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography (SS-OCTA) may detect eye abnormalities in patients taking hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) longer than five years to treat systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a pilot study conducted in Spain suggests.
  Reuters Health Information, March 2019
• Beyond Cancer: CAR T-Cell Therapy Now Investigated in Lupus CAR T-cell therapy extended survival and deferred manifestations of lupus in mouse models.
  Medscape Medical News, March 2019
• Gut Microbes May Predict Lupus Flares Disease flares in patients with lupus may be linked to decreased diversity of gut microbes and intestinal permeability, a study found.
  Medscape Medical News, February 2019
• More States Say Doctors Must Offer Naloxone Along With Opioids California, Ohio, Virginia and Arizona are among the states requiring physicians to offer patients naloxone when they give them prescriptions for the powerful painkillers.
  Kaiser Health News, February 2019
• Clinical Diagnosis of Fibromyalgia Often Disagrees With Published Criteria Many patients with a clinical diagnosis of fibromyalgia do not satisfy published diagnostic criteria, according to findings from rheumatology clinic attendees.
  Reuters Health Information, February 2019
• Alert FDA OKs First Targeted Therapy for Rare Blood Clotting Disorder Caplacizumab (Cablivi) injection is indicated in combination with plasma exchange and immunosuppressive therapy for adults with acquired thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (aTTP).
  FDA Approvals, February 2019
• Kidney Transplant Boosts Survival in Lupus Nephritis Kidney transplantation is associated with a survival benefit for patients with lupus nephritis and end-stage renal disease (LN-ESRD), researchers have found.
  Reuters Health Information, January 2019
• Influential Long-time NIAMS Director Katz Dies at 77 Katz, who led the NIAMS since 1995, is remembered for his contributions to basic science, his willingness to take on thorny NIH management issues, and his exuberant, joyful personality.
  Medscape Medical News, December 2018
• AHA 2018'The Patient Has the Power' in New AHA/ACC Cholesterol Guideline If the 2013 guideline gave the ASCVD risk calculator too much power, as some held, the mostly well-received update restores it to patients and clinicians, with some left over for coronary calcium scans.
  Medscape Medical News, November 2018
• ACR 2018Daily Meditation Helps Arthritis Patient With Chronic Pain For one patient, meditation addresses the component of living with polyarthritis that medication does not.
  Medscape Medical News, October 2018