OBJECTIVE To investigate antibodies to complement 1q (anti-C1q) and investigate the correlation between anti-C1q titres and renal disease in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). METHODS 151 SLE patients were studied. In patients with biopsy proven lupus nephritis (n = 77), activity of renal disease was categorised according to the BILAG renal score. Sera were tested for anti-C1q by enzyme immu...

BACKGROUND Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic multisystem autoimmune disease with frequent flares. Our aim was to evaluate the beta 2-microglobulin/cystatin C (β2M/CysC) index versus other markers as a predictor factor for assessment of SLE reactivation. METHODS We prospectively analyzed 42 patients with lupus nephritis. Disease activity was classified using SLEDAI-2K and BILAG. ...

Background A large body of evidence has shown that type I IFN (IFN-I) biomarkers are associated with worse clinical features within each ANA-associated rheumatic disease (ARMD). IFN-I also predict response to IFN-targeted and other therapies. DEFINITION is an observational study explore the associations across course spectrum ARMDs. This a preliminary analysis for subsection on established ARMD...

INTRODUCTION The aim of this study was to examine whether circulating levels of the proinflammatory glycoprotein tenascin-C (TNC) are useful as an activity-specific or predictive biomarker in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). METHODS Serum TNC levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay at inception visit in a prospective cohort of 59 SLE patients, and in 65 healthy controls...

Background Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are thought to be at greater risk of severe COVID-19 illness and associated complications due a combination inherent aberrant immune responses, immunosuppressive medications co-morbidities. Objectives To review infections, hospitalisation recovery in real-world cohort patients moderate SLE high immunosuppressant use. Methods The Britis...

OBJECTIVES To describe the presenting symptoms of SLE in primary care using the Clinical Practice Research Database (CPRD) and to calculate the time from symptom presentation to SLE diagnosis. METHODS Incident cases of SLE were identified from the CPRD between 2000 and 2012. Presenting symptoms were identified from the medical records of cases in the 5 years before diagnosis and grouped using...

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by dysregulation of cytokines, apoptosis, and B- and T-cell functions. The tolerogenic peptide, hCDR1 (Edratide), ameliorated the clinical manifestations of murine lupus via down-regulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines and apoptosis, up-regulation of the immunosuppressive cytokine TGF-beta, and the induction of regulato...

OBJECTIVES To assess the clinical and basic serological consequences of B-cell depletion with rituximab in the treatment of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who have failed conventional immunosuppression. METHODS An open study of 24 patients with severe SLE followed for a minimum of 3 months is reported. In the majority of patients (19 out of 24), 6 months follow-up data are d...