Cancer risk in a large inception SLE cohort: Effects of demographics, smoking, and medications

OBJECTIVE

To assess cancer risk factors in incident SLE.

METHODS

Clinical variables and cancer outcomes were assessed annually among incident SLE patients. Multivariate hazard regression models (over-all risk, and most common cancers) included demographics and time-dependent medications (corticosteroids, antimalarial drugs, immunosuppressants), smoking, and adjusted mean SLE Disease Activity Index-2K.

RESULTS

Among 1668 patients (average 9 years follow-up), 65 cancers occurred: 15 breast, 10 non-melanoma skin, seven lung, six hematological, six prostate, five melanoma, three cervical, three renal, two each gastric, head and neck, and thyroid, and one each rectal, sarcoma, thymoma, and uterine cancers. Half of cancers (including all lung cancers) occurred in past/current smokers, versus one-third of patients without cancer. Multivariate analyses indicated over-all cancer risk was related primarily to male sex and older age at SLE diagnosis. In addition, smoking was associated with lung cancer. For breast cancer risk, age was positively and anti-malarial drugs were negatively associated. Anti-malarial drugs and higher disease activity were also negatively associated with non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) risk, whereas age and cyclophosphamide were positively associated. Disease activity was associated positively with hematologic and negatively with NMSC risk.

CONCLUSIONS

Smoking is a key modifiable risk factor, especially for lung cancer, in SLE. Immunosuppressive medications were not clearly associated with higher risk except for cyclophosphamide and NMSC. Antimalarials were negatively associated with breast cancer and NMSC risk. SLE activity was associated positively with hematologic cancer and negatively with NMSC. Since the absolute number of cancers was small, additional follow-up will help consolidate these findings.

Systemic lupus erythematosus and risk of infection

INTRODUCTION

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disorder that affects almost every organ system and it is treated with immunomodulation and immunosuppression. SLE patients have an intrinsically dysfunctional immune system which is exacerbated by disease activity and leaves them vulnerable to infection. Treatment with immunosuppression increases susceptibility to infection, while hydroxychloroquine use decreases this risk. Infectious diseases are a leading cause of hospitalization and death.

AREAS COVERED

This narrative review provides an overview of recent epidemiology and predictors of infections in SLE, delineates the risk of infection by therapeutic agent, and provides suggestions for risk mitigation. Articles were selected from Pubmed searches conducted between September 2019 and January 2020.

EXPERT OPINION

Despite the large burden of infection, effective and safe preventative care such as universal hydroxychloroquine use and vaccination are underutilized. Future efforts should be directed to quality improvement, glucocorticoid reduction, and validation of risk indices that identify patients at the highest risk of infection.

The economic burden of systemic lupus erythematosus in commercially- and medicaid-insured populations in the United States

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the economic burden of systematic lupus erythematous (SLE), stratified by disease severity, in commercially- and Medicaid-insured US populations.

METHODS

Adults (≥18 years) with SLE treated with antimalarials, selected biologics, immunosuppressants, and systemic glucocorticoids (2010-2014) were identified within the commercial and Medicaid insurance IBM MarketScan® databases (index date = first SLE medication claim). Both cohorts were stratified into mild (receiving antimalarial or glucocorticoid monotherapy ≤5 mg/day) versus moderate/severe SLE (receiving glucocorticoids >5 mg/day, biologic, immunosuppressant, or combination therapy) during a 6-month exposure period. All-cause healthcare utilization and costs were evaluated during the 12 months following the exposure period.

RESULTS

Among 8231 commercially-insured patients, 32.6% had mild and 67.4% had moderate/severe SLE by our definition. Among 802 Medicaid-insured patients, 25.2% had mild and 74.8% had moderate/severe SLE. Adjusted mean total healthcare costs, excluding pharmacy, for moderate/severe SLE patients were higher than for mild SLE patients in the commercially-insured ($39,021 versus $23,519; p < 0.0001) and Medicaid-insured populations ($56,050 versus $44,932; p = 0.06). In both SLE severity populations total unadjusted costs were significantly higher among Medicaid-insured than commercially-insured patients.

CONCLUSION

Commercially-insured patients with treatment suggesting moderate/severe SLE incurred significantly higher adjusted mean healthcare costs, excluding pharmacy, compared with mild SLE patients. While not reaching statistical significance, moderate/severe Medicaid-insured patients had higher costs then mild SLE patients. Total unadjusted healthcare costs were significantly higher among Medicaid-insured than commercially-insured patients. These differential costs are important to consider and monitor when implementing interventions to improve health and reduce healthcare spending for SLE.

Prediction of Damage Accrual in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Using the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics Frailty Index

OBJECTIVE

The Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC) frailty index (FI) has been shown to predict mortality, but its association with other important outcomes is unknown. We examined the association of baseline SLICC FI values with damage accrual in the SLICC inception cohort.

METHODS

The baseline visit was defined as the first visit at which both organ damage (SLICC/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index [SDI]) and health-related quality of life (Short Form 36) were assessed. Baseline SLICC FI scores were calculated. Damage accrual was measured by the increase in SDI between the baseline assessment and the last study visit. Multivariable negative binomial regression was used to estimate the association between baseline SLICC FI values and the rate of increase in the SDI during follow-up, adjusting for relevant demographic and clinical characteristics.

RESULTS

The 1,549 systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients eligible for this analysis were mostly female (88.7%) with a mean ± SD age of 35.7 ± 13.3 years and a median disease duration of 1.2 years (interquartile range 0.9-1.5 years) at baseline. The mean ± SD baseline SLICC FI was 0.17 ± 0.08. Over a mean ± SD follow-up of 7.2 ± 3.7 years, 653 patients (42.2%) had an increase in SDI. Higher baseline SLICC FI values (per 0.05 increase) were associated with higher rates of increase in the SDI during follow-up (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 1.19 [95% confidence interval 1.13-1.25]), after adjusting for age, sex, ethnicity/region, education, baseline SLE Disease Activity Index 2000, baseline SDI, and baseline use of glucocorticoids, antimalarials, and immunosuppressive agents.

CONCLUSION

Our findings indicate that the SLICC FI predicts damage accrual in incident SLE, which further supports the SLICC FI as a valid health measure in SLE.

Neuropsychiatric events in systemic lupus erythematosus: a longitudinal analysis of outcomes in an international inception cohort using a multistate model approach

OBJECTIVES

Using a reversible multistate model, we prospectively examined neuropsychiatric (NP) events for attribution, outcome and association with health-related quality of life (HRQoL), in an international, inception cohort of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients.

METHODS

Annual assessments for 19 NP events attributed to SLE and non-SLE causes, physician determination of outcome and patient HRQoL (short-form (SF)-36 scores) were measured. Time-to-event analysis and multistate modelling examined the onset, recurrence and transition between NP states.

RESULTS

NP events occurred in 955/1827 (52.3%) patients and 592/1910 (31.0%) unique events were attributed to SLE. In the first 2 years of follow-up the relative risk (95% CI) for SLE NP events was 6.16 (4.96, 7.66) and non-SLE events was 4.66 (4.01, 5.43) compared with thereafter. Patients without SLE NP events at initial assessment had a 74% probability of being event free at 10 years. For non-SLE NP events the estimate was 48%. The majority of NP events resolved over 10 years but mortality was higher in patients with NP events attributed to SLE (16%) versus patients with no NPSLE events (6%) while the rate was comparable in patients with non-SLE NP events (7%) compared with patients with no non-SLE events (6%). Patients with NP events had lower SF-36 summary scores compared with those without NP events and resolved NP states (p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

NP events occur most frequently around the diagnosis of SLE. Although the majority of events resolve they are associated with reduced HRQoL and excess mortality. Multistate modelling is well suited for the assessment of NP events in SLE.

Peripheral Nervous System Disease in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Results From an International Inception Cohort Study

OBJECTIVE

To determine the frequency, clinical characteristics, associations, and outcomes of different types of peripheral nervous system (PNS) disease in a multiethnic/multiracial, prospective inception cohort of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients.

METHODS

Patients were evaluated annually for 19 neuropsychiatric (NP) events including 7 types of PNS disease. SLE disease activity, organ damage, autoantibodies, and patient and physician assessment of outcome were measured. Time to event and linear regressions were used as appropriate.

RESULTS

Of 1,827 SLE patients, 88.8% were female, and 48.8% were white. The mean ± SD age was 35.1 ± 13.3 years, disease duration at enrollment was 5.6 ± 4.2 months, and follow-up was 7.6 ± 4.6 years. There were 161 PNS events in 139 (7.6%) of 1,827 patients. The predominant events were peripheral neuropathy (66 of 161 [41.0%]), mononeuropathy (44 of 161 [27.3%]), and cranial neuropathy (39 of 161 [24.2%]), and the majority were attributed to SLE. Multivariate Cox regressions suggested longer time to resolution in patients with a history of neuropathy, older age at SLE diagnosis, higher SLE Disease Activity Index 2000 scores, and for peripheral neuropathy versus other neuropathies. Neuropathy was associated with significantly lower Short Form 36 (SF-36) physical and mental component summary scores versus no NP events. According to physician assessment, the majority of neuropathies resolved or improved over time, which was associated with improvements in SF-36 summary scores for peripheral neuropathy and mononeuropathy.

CONCLUSION

PNS disease is an important component of total NPSLE and has a significant negative impact on health-related quality of life. The outcome is favorable for most patients, but our findings indicate that several factors are associated with longer time to resolution.

Retinal Complications in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Treated with Antimalarial Drugs

Objective.

Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and chloroquine (CQ) are key drugs in systemic lupus (SLE) and related diseases. Retinal toxicity remains the most worrisome complication. We studied factors potentially associated with retinal toxicity, using case-control analyses.

Methods.

Within our SLE clinic cohort, we identified patients with retinal changes using the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics Damage Index. We confirmed HCQ/CQ retinopathy with chart review, and selected up to 3 SLE controls for each case, matched by age at SLE diagnosis and SLE duration.

Results.

Over an average 12.8 years of followup, within 326 patients exposed to antimalarial drugs, 18 (5.5%) developed retinal toxicity. The minimum number of years of HCQ/CQ exposure before retinopathy developed was 8 years (maximum 33 yrs). Median HCQ/CQ duration was statistically similar in cases [19 yrs, interquartile range (IQR) 14–20] and controls (16 yrs, IQR 11–22), likely due to our matching on SLE duration. Versus controls, cases tended to have more renal disease (cases 22.2%, controls 14.8%) and were slightly less likely to be white (cases 61.1%, controls 74.1%), but neither variable reached statistical significance. Among patients with retinal toxicity, the number previously exposed to CQ was more than 3 times that in controls.

Conclusion.

Just over 5% of patients developed antimalarial retinal complications, over an average of 12.8 years. No cases were detected in the first 5 years of therapy. Past CQ use was more common in cases versus controls. Future studies using larger cohorts are under way to better define the roles of therapy duration, race/ethnicity, and other factors.

Use of combined hormonal contraceptives among women with systemic lupus erythematosus with and without medical contraindications to oestrogen

OBJECTIVES

To assess the prevalence of combined hormonal contraceptives (CHCs) in reproductive-age women with SLE with and without possible contraindications and to determine factors associated with their use in the presence of possible contraindications.

METHODS

This observational cohort study included premenopausal women ages 18-45 years enrolled in the SLICC Registry ⩽15 months after SLE onset, with annual assessments spanning 2000-2017. World Health Organization Category 3 or 4 contraindications to CHCs (e.g. hypertension, aPL) were assessed at each study visit. High disease activity (SLEDAI score >12 or use of >0.5 mg/kg/day of prednisone) was considered a relative contraindication.

RESULTS

A total of 927 SLE women contributed 6315 visits, of which 3811 (60%) occurred in the presence of one or more possible contraindication to CHCs. Women used CHCs during 512 (8%) visits, of which 281 (55%) took place in the setting of one or more possible contraindication. The most frequently observed contraindications were aPL (52%), hypertension (34%) and migraine with aura (22%). Women with one or more contraindication were slightly less likely to be taking CHCs [7% of visits (95% CI 7, 8)] than women with no contraindications [9% (95% CI 8, 10)].

CONCLUSION

CHC use was low compared with general population estimates (>35%) and more than half of CHC users had at least one possible contraindication. Many yet unmeasured factors, including patient preferences, may have contributed to these observations. Further work should also aim to clarify outcomes associated with this exposure.

Antinuclear Antibody-Negative Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in an International Inception Cohort

OBJECTIVE

The spectrum of antinuclear antibodies (ANAs) is changing to include both nuclear staining as well as cytoplasmic and mitotic cell patterns (CMPs) and accordingly a change is occurring in terminology to anticellular antibodies. This study examined the prevalence of indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) anticellular antibody staining using the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics inception cohort.

METHODS

Anticellular antibodies were detected by IIF on HEp-2000 substrate using the baseline serum. Three serologic subsets were examined: ANA positive (presence of either nuclear or mixed nuclear/CMP staining), anticellular antibody negative (absence of any intracellular staining), and isolated CMP staining. The odds of being anticellular antibody negative versus ANA or isolated CMP positive was assessed by multivariable analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 1,137 patients were included; 1,049 (92.3%) were ANA positive, 71 (6.2%) were anticellular antibody negative, and 17 (1.5%) had an isolated CMP. The isolated CMP-positive group did not differ from the ANA-positive or anticellular antibody-negative groups in clinical, demographic, or serologic features. Patients who were older (odds ratio [OR] 1.02 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.00, 1.04]), of white race/ethnicity (OR 3.53 [95% CI 1.77, 7.03]), or receiving high-dose glucocorticoids at or prior to enrollment (OR 2.39 [95% CI 1.39, 4.12]) were more likely to be anticellular antibody negative. Patients on immunosuppressants (OR 0.35 [95% CI 0.19, 0.64]) or with anti-SSA/Ro 60 (OR 0.41 [95% CI 0.23, 0.74]) or anti-U1 RNP (OR 0.43 [95% CI 0.20, 0.93]) were less likely to be anticellular antibody negative.

CONCLUSION

In newly diagnosed systemic lupus erythematosus, 6.2% of patients were anticellular antibody negative, and 1.5% had an isolated CMP. The prevalence of anticellular antibody-negative systemic lupus erythematosus will likely decrease as emerging nomenclature guidelines recommend that non-nuclear patterns should also be reported as a positive ANA.

Evaluating the Properties of a Frailty Index and Its Association With Mortality Risk Among Patients With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the properties of a frailty index (FI), constructed using data from the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC) inception cohort, as a novel health measure in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

METHODS

For this secondary analysis, the baseline visit was defined as the first study visit at which both organ damage (SLICC/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index [SDI]) and health-related quality of life (Short-Form 36 [SF-36] scores) were assessed. The SLICC-FI was constructed using baseline data. The SLICC-FI comprises 48 health deficits, including items related to organ damage, disease activity, comorbidities, and functional status. Content, construct, and criterion validity of the SLICC-FI were assessed. Multivariable Cox regression was used to estimate the association between baseline SLICC-FI values and mortality risk, adjusting for demographic and clinical factors.

RESULTS

In the baseline data set of 1,683 patients with SLE, 89% were female, the mean ± SD age was 35.7 ± 13.4 years, and the mean ± SD disease duration was 18.8 ± 15.7 months. At baseline, the mean ± SD SLICC-FI score was 0.17 ± 0.08 (range 0-0.51). Baseline SLICC-FI values exhibited the expected measurement properties and were weakly correlated with baseline SDI scores (r = 0.26, P < 0.0001). Higher baseline SLICC-FI values (per 0.05 increment) were associated with increased mortality risk (hazard ratio 1.59, 95% confidence interval 1.35-1.87), after adjusting for age, sex, steroid use, ethnicity/region, and baseline SDI scores.

CONCLUSION

The SLICC-FI demonstrates internal validity as a health measure in SLE and might be used to predict future mortality risk. The SLICC-FI is potentially valuable for quantifying vulnerability among patients with SLE, and adds to existing prognostic scores.

Cell of origin in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in systemic lupus erythematosus: molecular and clinical factors associated with survival

Background

SLE is associated with increased risk of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). DLBCL is routinely classified by cell of origin (COO), with germinal centre B-cell (GCB) being more common and indicating better prognosis in the general population. We studied COO subtyping in patients with SLE diagnosed with DLBCL and their survival.

Patients and methods

We evaluated 20 cases of SLE with DLBCL. Immunohistochemistry analysis was performed (BCL2, MYC, BCL6, CD10, CD20, FOXP1, GCET1, MUM1) in tissue microarrays. We examined associations between molecular and clinical features, including overall survival.

Results

Of the 20 DLBCL SLE cases, 12/20 cases (60%) were classified as non-GCB using Hans or Choi algorithms. MYC and BCL2 protein expression was positive in 6/20 (30%) and 8/20 (40%) SLE cases, respectively, with 2/20 (10%) co-expressing both markers. Seven (7/20) had only extranodal involvement at DLBCL diagnosis. As expected, non-GCB cases had worse survival. Cases presenting exclusively with extranodal disease were associated with shorter SLE duration and better survival despite higher BCL2 protein expression.

Conclusions

We present novel data characterising DLBCL in SLE. Sixty per cent of the DLBCL in patients with SLE were non-GCB. The nodal and extranodal distribution in SLE was similar to what is known in the general population, but extranodal disease occurred more often with short SLE duration and was associated with longer overall survival. More research on cancer in SLE is the key to further understanding the complex interplay between cancer and the immune system.

Construction of a Frailty Index as a Novel Health Measure in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

OBJECTIVE

To construct a Frailty Index (FI) as a measure of vulnerability to adverse outcomes among patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), using data from the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC) inception cohort.

METHODS

The SLICC inception cohort consists of recently diagnosed patients with SLE followed annually with clinical and laboratory assessments. For this analysis, the baseline visit was defined as the first study visit at which sufficient information was available for construction of an FI. Following a standard procedure, variables from the SLICC database were evaluated as potential health deficits. Selected health deficits were then used to generate a SLICC-FI. The prevalence of frailty in the baseline dataset was evaluated using established cutpoints for FI values.

RESULTS

The 1683 patients with SLE (92.1% of the overall cohort) eligible for inclusion in the baseline dataset were mostly female (89%) with mean (SD) age 35.7 (13.4) years and mean (SD) disease duration 18.8 (15.7) months at baseline. Of 222 variables, 48 met criteria for inclusion in the SLICC-FI. Mean (SD) SLICC-FI was 0.17 (0.08) with a range from 0 to 0.51. At baseline, 27.1% (95% CI 25.0-29.2) of patients were classified as frail, based on SLICC-FI values > 0.21.

CONCLUSION

The SLICC inception cohort permits feasible construction of an FI for use in patients with SLE. Even in a relatively young cohort of patients with SLE, frailty was common. The SLICC-FI may be a useful tool for identifying patients with SLE who are most vulnerable to adverse outcomes, but validation of this index is required prior to its use.

Anti-NT5c1A Autoantibodies as Biomarkers in Inclusion Body Myositis

Objective: Sporadic Inclusion Body Myositis (sIBM) is an inflammatory myopathy (IIM) without a specific diagnostic biomarker until autoantibodies to the cytosolic 5′-nucleotidase 1A (NT5c1A/Mup44) were reported. The objectives of our study were to determine the sensitivity and specificity of anti-NT5c1A for sIBM, demonstrate demographic, clinical and serological predictors for anti-NT5c1A positivity and determine if anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) staining on HEp-2 cells is a reliable screening method for anti-NT5c1A.

Methods: Sera from sIBM patients and controls were stored at −80°C until required for analysis. IgG antibodies to NT5c1A were detected by an addressable laser bead immunoassay (ALBIA) using a full-length human recombinant protein. Autoantibodies to other autoimmune myopathy antigens (Jo-1, OJ, TIF1y, PL-12, SAE, EJ, MDA5, PL7, SRP, NXP2, MI-2) were detected by line immunoassay (LIA), chemiluminescence immunoassay (CIA) or enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and ANA detected by IIF on HEp-2 substrate. Demographic, clinical and serological data were obtained by chart review.

Results: Forty-three patients with sIBM, 537 disease control patients with other autoimmune, degenerative and neuromuscular diseases, and 78 healthy controls were included. 48.8% (21/43) of sIBM patients were positive for anti-NT5c1A. The overall sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of anti-NT5c1A for sIBM were 0.49, 0.92, 0.29, and 0.96, respectively. Compared to sIBM, the frequency of anti-NT5c1A was lower in both the disease control group (8.8%, OR 0.10 [95%CI: 0.05–0.20], p < 0.0001) and in the apparently healthy control group (5.1%, OR 0.06 [95%CI: 0.02–0.18], p < 0.0001). In the univariable analysis, sIBM patients with more severe muscle weakness were more likely to be anti-NT5c1A positive (OR 4.10 [95% CI: 1.17, 14.33], p = 0.027), although this was not statistically significant (adjusted OR 4.30 [95% CI: 0.89, 20.76], p = 0.069) in the multivariable analysis. The ANA of sIBM sera did not demonstrate a consistent IIF pattern associated with anti-NT5c1A.

Conclusions: Anti-NT5c1A has moderate sensitivity and high specificity for sIBM using ALBIA. The presence of anti-NT5c1A antibodies may be associated with muscle weakness. Anti-NT5c1A antibodies were not associated with a specific IIF staining pattern, hence screening using HEp-2 substrate is unlikely to be a useful predictor for presence of these autoantibodies.

Psychosis in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Results From an International Inception Cohort Study

Objective

To determine, in a large, multiethnic/multiracial, prospective inception cohort of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the frequency, attribution, clinical, and autoantibody associations with lupus psychosis and the short‐ and long‐term outcomes as assessed by physicians and patients.

Methods

Patients were evaluated annually for 19 neuropsychiatric (NP) events including psychosis. Scores on the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index 2000, the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index, and the Short Form 36 (SF‐36) were recorded. Time to event and linear regressions were used as appropriate.

Results

Of 1,826 SLE patients, 88.8% were female and 48.8% were Caucasian. The mean ± SD age was 35.1 ± 13.3 years, the mean ± SD disease duration was 5.6 ± 4.2 months, and the mean ± SD follow‐up period was 7.4 ± 4.5 years. There were 31 psychotic events in 28 of 1,826 patients (1.53%), and most patients had a single event (26 of 28 [93%]). In the majority of patients (20 of 25 [80%]) and events (28 of 31 [90%]), psychosis was attributed to SLE, usually either in the year prior to or within 3 years of SLE diagnosis. Positive associations (hazard ratios [HRs] and 95% confidence intervals [95% CIs]) with lupus psychosis were previous SLE NP events (HR 3.59 [95% CI 1.16–11.14]), male sex (HR 3.0 [95% CI 1.20–7.50]), younger age at SLE diagnosis (per 10 years) (HR 1.45 [95% CI 1.01–2.07]), and African ancestry (HR 4.59 [95% CI 1.79–11.76]). By physician assessment, most psychotic events resolved by the second annual visit following onset, in parallel with an improvement in patient‐reported SF‐36 summary and subscale scores.

Conclusion

Psychosis is an infrequent manifestation of NPSLE. Generally, it occurs early after SLE onset and has a significant negative impact on health status. As determined by patient and physician report, the short‐ and long‐term outlooks are good for most patients, although careful follow‐up is required.

Osteopontin and Disease Activity in Patients with Recent-onset Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Results from the SLICC Inception Cohort

OBJECTIVE

In cross-sectional studies, elevated osteopontin (OPN) levels have been proposed to reflect, and/or precede, progressive organ damage and disease severity in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We aimed, in a cohort of patients with recent-onset SLE, to determine whether raised serum OPN levels precede damage and/or are associated with disease activity or certain disease phenotypes.

METHODS

We included 344 patients from the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC) Inception Cohort who had 5 years of followup data available. All patients fulfilled the 1997 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria. Baseline sera from patients and from age- and sex-matched population-based controls were analyzed for OPN using ELISA. Disease activity and damage were assessed at each annual followup visit using the SLE Disease Activity Index 2000 (SLEDAI-2K) and the SLICC/ACR damage index (SDI), respectively.

RESULTS

Compared to controls, baseline OPN was raised 4-fold in SLE cases (p < 0.0001). After relevant adjustments in a binary logistic regression model, OPN levels failed to significantly predict global damage accrual defined as SDI ≥ 1 at 5 years. However, baseline OPN correlated with SLEDAI-2K at enrollment into the cohort (r = 0.27, p < 0.0001), and patients with high disease activity (SLEDAI-2K ≥ 5) had raised serum OPN (p < 0.0001). In addition, higher OPN levels were found in patients with persistent disease activity (p = 0.0006), in cases with renal involvement (p < 0.0001) and impaired estimated glomerular filtration rate (p = 0.01).

CONCLUSION

The performance of OPN to predict development of organ damage was not impressive. However, OPN associated significantly with lupus nephritis and with raised disease activity at enrollment, as well as over time.

Sex Differences in Quality of Life in Patients With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

OBJECTIVE

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) predominantly affects women. Clinical phenotype and outcomes in SLE may vary by sex and are further complicated by unique concerns that are dependent upon sex-defined roles. We aimed to describe sex differences in disease-specific quality of life (QoL) assessment scores using the Lupus Patient-Reported Outcome (LupusPRO) tool in a large international study.

METHODS

Cross-sectional data from 1,803 patients with SLE on demographics, self-identified sex status, LupusPRO, and disease activity were analyzed. The LupusPRO tool has 2 constructs: health-related QoL (HRQoL) and non-HRQoL. Disease activity and damage were evaluated using the Safety of Estrogens in Lupus Erythematosus National Assessment version of the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index and the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index, respectively. Nonparametric tests were used to compare QoL and disease activity by sex.

RESULTS

A total of 122 men and 1,681 women with SLE participated. The mean age was similar by sex, but the damage scores were greater among men. Men fared worse on the non-HRQoL social support domain than women (P = 0.02). When comparing disease and QoL among men and women ages ≤45 years, men were found to have greater damage and worse social support than women. However, women fared significantly worse on lupus symptoms, cognition, and procreation domains with trends for worse functioning on physical health and pain-vitality domains.

CONCLUSION

In the largest study of a diverse group of SLE patients, utilizing a disease-specific QoL tool, sex differences in QoL were observed on both HRQoL and non-HRQoL constructs. Although men performed worse in the social support domain, women (especially those in the reproductive age group) fared worse in other domains. These observations may assist physicians in appropriately addressing QoL issues in a sex-focused manner.

Systemic lupus erythematosus: a case-based presentation of renal, neurologic, and hematologic emergencies

INTRODUCTION

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disorder with systemic manifestations and multiorgan involvement. Although primarily diagnosed, and managed in the outpatient setting, it can occasionally present with life-threatening complications that require rapid assessment and urgent aggressive therapy. Areas covered: In our review, we explore three organ systems that are often affected in SLE, but have the potential to present as medical emergencies; these are the kidney, the central nervous system, and the hematologic system. We take a case-based approach to each clinical scenario, with information given sequentially in order to reflect "real-life" situations where management decisions need to be made with limited information. We review the acute management, pathophysiology, diagnostic approach, and treatment along with a review of the literature, for lupus nephritis presenting as rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis, acute lupus transverse myelitis, and refractory antiphospholipid syndrome. Expert commentary: At the conclusion of each section, we provide an expert commentary regarding each issue, relating to diagnosis, early management, and current evidence behind treatment recommendations.

Cerebrovascular Events in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Results From an International Inception Cohort Study

OBJECTIVE

To determine the frequency, characteristics, and outcomes of cerebrovascular events (CerVEs), as well as clinical and autoantibody associations in a multiethnic/racial inception cohort of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

METHODS

A total of 1,826 patients were assessed annually for 19 neuropsychiatric (NP) events, including 5 types of CerVEs: 1) stroke, 2) transient ischemia, 3) chronic multifocal ischemia, 4) subarachnoid/intracranial hemorrhage, and 5) sinus thrombosis. Global disease activity (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease [SLE] Activity Index 2000), damage scores (SLE International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index), and Short Form 36 (SF-36) scores were collected. Time to event, linear and logistic regressions, and multistate models were used as appropriate.

RESULTS

CerVEs were the fourth most frequent NP event: 82 of 1,826 patients had 109 events; of these events, 103 were attributed to SLE, and 44 were identified at the time of enrollment. The predominant events were stroke (60 of 109 patients) and transient ischemia (28 of 109 patients). CerVEs were associated with other NP events attributed to SLE, non-SLE-attributed NP events, African ancestry (at US SLICC sites), and increased organ damage scores. Lupus anticoagulant increased the risk of first stroke and sinus thrombosis and transient ischemic attack. Physician assessment indicated resolution or improvement in the majority of patients, but patients reported sustained reduction in SF-36 summary and subscale scores following a CerVE.

CONCLUSION

CerVEs, the fourth most frequent NP event in SLE, are usually attributable to lupus. In contrast to good physician-reported outcomes, patients reported a sustained reduction in health-related quality of life following a CerVE.

Economic Evaluation of Lupus Nephritis in the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics Inception Cohort Using a Multistate Model Approach

OBJECTIVE

Little is known about the long-term costs of lupus nephritis (LN). The costs were compared between patients with and without LN using multistate modeling.

METHODS

Patients from 32 centers in 11 countries were enrolled in the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics inception cohort within 15 months of diagnosis and provided annual data on renal function, hospitalizations, medications, dialysis, and selected procedures. LN was diagnosed by renal biopsy or the American College of Rheumatology classification criteria. Renal function was assessed annually using the estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) or estimated proteinuria. A multistate model was used to predict 10-year cumulative costs by multiplying annual costs associated with each renal state by the expected state duration.

RESULTS

A total of 1,545 patients participated; 89.3% were women, the mean ± age at diagnosis was 35.2 ± 13.4 years, 49% were white, and the mean followup duration was 6.3 ± 3.3 years. LN developed in 39.4% of these patients by the end of followup. Ten-year cumulative costs were greater in those with LN and an estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) <30 ml/minute ($310,579 2015 Canadian dollars versus $19,987 if no LN and estimated GFR >60 ml/minute) or with LN and estimated proteinuria >3 gm/day ($84,040 versus $20,499 if no LN and estimated proteinuria <0.25 gm/day).

CONCLUSION

Patients with estimated GFR <30 ml/minute incurred 10-year costs 15-fold higher than those with normal estimated GFR. By estimating the expected duration in each renal state and incorporating associated annual costs, disease severity at presentation can be used to anticipate future health care costs. This is critical knowledge for cost-effectiveness evaluations of novel therapies.

Monitoring of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Pregnancies: A Systematic Literature Review

OBJECTIVE

Few data exist to guide the frequency and type of monitoring in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) pregnancies. A systematic literature review was performed to address this gap in the literature.

METHODS

A systematic review of original articles (1975-2015) was performed using Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Library. We included search terms for SLE, pregnancy, and monitoring. We also hand-searched reference lists, review articles, and grey literature for additional relevant articles.

RESULTS

The search yielded a total of 1106 articles. After removing 117 duplicates, 929 articles that were evidently unrelated to our topic based on title and/or abstract, and 7 that were in a language other than English or French, 53 articles were included for full-text review. Following a more in-depth review, 15 were excluded: 6 did not use any measure of SLE activity and 6 did not specifically address SLE monitoring in pregnancy; 1 case series, 1 review, and 1 metaanalysis were removed. Among the 38 included studies, presence of active disease, antiphospholipid (aPL) antibodies positivity, and abnormal uterine and umbilical artery Doppler studies predicted poor pregnancy outcomes. No studies evaluated an evidence-based approach to the frequency of monitoring.

CONCLUSION

Few existing studies address monitoring for optimal care during SLE pregnancies. The available data imply roles for aPL antibodies measurement (prior to pregnancy and/or during the first trimester), uterine and umbilical artery Doppler studies in the second trimester, and following disease activity. Optimal frequency of monitoring is not addressed in the existing literature.

Hydroxychloroquine prescription trends and predictors for excess dosing per recent ophthalmology guidelines

Background

Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) retinopathy may be more common than previously recognized; recent ophthalmology guidelines have revised recommendations from ideal body weight (IBW)-based dosing to actual body weight (ABW)-based dosing. However, contemporary HCQ prescribing trends in the UK remain unknown.

Methods

We examined a UK general population database to investigate HCQ dosing between 2007 and 2016. We studied trends of excess HCQ dosing per ophthalmology guidelines (defined by exceeding 6.5 mg/kg of IBW and 5.0 mg/kg of ABW) and determined their independent predictors using multivariable logistic regression analyses.

Results

Among 20,933 new HCQ users (78% female), the proportions of initial HCQ excess dosing declined from 40% to 36% using IBW and 38% to 30% using ABW, between 2007 and 2016. Among these, 47% of women were excess-dosed (multivariable OR 12.52; 95% CI 10.99–14.26) using IBW and 38% (multivariable OR 1.98; 95% CI,1.81–2.15) using ABW. Applying IBW, 37% of normal and 44% of obese patients were excess-dosed; however, applying ABW, 53% of normal and 10% of obese patients were excess-dosed (multivariable ORs = 1.61 and 0.1 (reference = normal); both p < 0.01). Long-term HCQ users showed similar excess dosing.

Conclusion

A substantial proportion of HCQ users in the UK, particularly women, may have excess HCQ dosing per the previous or recent weight-based guidelines despite a modest decline in recent years. Over half of normal-BMI individuals were excess-dosed per the latest guidelines. This implies the potential need to reduce dosing for many patients but also calls for further research to establish unifying evidence-based safe and effective dosing strategies.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s13075-018-1634-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Glucocorticoid use and factors associated with variability in this use in the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics Inception Cohort

Objectives

To describe glucocorticoid (GC) use in the SLICC inception cohort and to explore factors associated with GC use. In particular we aimed to assess temporal trends in GC use and to what extent physician-related factors may influence use.

Methods

Patients were recruited within 15 months of diagnosis of SLE from 33 centres between 1999 and 2011 and continue to be reviewed annually. Descriptive statistics were used to detail oral and parenteral GC use. Cross sectional and longitudinal analyses were performed to explore factors associated with GC use at enrolment and over time.

Results

We studied 1700 patients with a mean (s.d.) follow-up duration of 7.26 (3.82) years. Over the entire study period, 1365 (81.3%) patients received oral GCs and 447 (26.3%) received parenteral GCs at some point. GC use was strongly associated with treatment centre, age, race/ethnicity, sex, disease duration and disease activity. There was no change in the proportion of patients on GCs or the average doses of GC used over time according to year of diagnosis.

Conclusion

GCs remain a cornerstone in SLE management and there have been no significant changes in their use over the past 10-15 years. While patient and disease factors contribute to the variation in GC use, between-centre differences suggest that physician-related factors also contribute. Evidence-based treatment algorithms are needed to inform a more standardized approach to GC use in SLE.

"What the mind does not know, the eyes do not see". Placing food allergy risk in sub-Saharan Africa

Policy makers and health geographers are increasingly intrigued by the global rise of chronic disease. While current engagement coalesce around cardiovascular disease, cancers, chronic respiratory disease, and diabetes, very little attention has been given to other important chronic conditions: e.g., allergic disease. Concerns about how health is shaped by context and experienced in place can provide important insights to understand the trajectory of allergic disease and inform policy especially in developing countries experiencing an epidemiologic transition. Using Ghana as a case study. this paper draw on theories of political ecology of health to enhance our understanding of how individual (e.g. care seeking behaviours), sociocultural (e.g. lack of education and awareness), health system (e.g. absence of logistics) and policy environments (e.g. absence of policy) influence the ways in which food allergy is perceived, diagnosed and managed. These findings highlight the need for decision makers to target structural factors that impede access to and utilization of healthcare, diagnostic practices, as well as food allergy coping and management strategies. Moreover, the findings highlight the need for a global health agenda that pays critical attention to place-based factors in the construction of emerging health risks.

"Ne nnipadua mmpe" (the body hates it): Exploring the lived experience of food allergy in Sub-Saharan Africa

Allergic diseases have closely followed the rise of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) especially in western societies. As prevalence of NCD is increasing in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), researchers are hinting that the same future may hold for (food) allergic disease in this world region. Already, researchers are beginning to record prevalence, though with little attention to the social experience of individuals and parents with food allergic children. This paper presents the first qualitative analysis of the daily realities of adults and parents of children with allergies in SSA using Ghana as a case study. Drawing on political ecology of health, this study contextualizes the psychological (e.g. anxiety and fear), social (e.g. stigmatization, social exclusion), and economic (e.g. impact on work & household expenditures) wellbeing of affected persons within the broader sociocultural environment. By exploring the sociocultural environment, the results provide insights into the likely structures (e.g. the lack of familiarity, absence of local discursive repertoire on food allergy, infrastructure deficit) which interact to shape anxiety, and social exclusion of people with allergy. The case study provides evidence suggesting food allergies do have a global reach, and policy makers must heed the message to integrate food allergy into the broader chronic disease prevention agenda.

Disease-specific quality of life in patients with lupus nephritis

Background

Patient-reported outcomes in lupus nephritis (LN) are not well studied. Studies with disease-targeted PRO tool in LN do not exist. Herein, we describe quality of life (QOL: HRQOL & non-HRQOL) among LN patients using LupusPRO.

Methods

International, cross-sectional data from 1259 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and LupusPRO were compared, stratified by (a) presence of LN (ACR classification criteria (ACR-LN)) at any time and, (b) active LN (on SLEDAI) at study visit. Damage was assessed by SLICC/ACR-SDI. Multivariate regression analyses for QOL against ACR-LN (active LN) after adjusting for age, gender, ethnicity and country of recruitment were performed.

Results

Mean (SD) age was 41.7 (13.5) yrs, 93% were women. Five hundred and thirty-nine of 1259 SLE patients had ACR-LN. ACR-LN group was younger, were more often on immunosuppressive medications, had worse QOL on lupus medications and procreation than non-ACR-LN patients. HRQOL and non-HRQOL scores were similar in both groups. One hundred and twenty-nine of 539 ACR-LN patients had active LN. Active LN group was younger, had greater disease activity and had worse HRQOL and non-HRQOL compared to patients without active LN. Specific domains adversely affected were lupus symptoms, lupus medications, procreation, emotional health, body image and desires-goals domains. Patients with ACR-LN and active LN fared significantly worse in lupus medications and procreation HRQOL domains, even after adjusting for age, ethnicity, gender and country of recruitment.

Conclusions

Lupus nephritis patients have poor QOL. Patients with active LN have worse HRQOL and non-HRQOL. Most domains affected are not included in the generic QOL tools used in SLE. LN patients must receive discussion on lupus medications and procreation issues. Patients with active LN need comprehensive assessments and addressal of QOL, along with treatment for active LN.

Risk of Allergic Conditions in Children Born to Women With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

OBJECTIVE

Limited evidence suggests a potentially increased risk of allergic conditions in offspring born to women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). In a large population-based study, we aimed to determine if children born to mothers with SLE have an increased risk of allergic conditions compared to children born to mothers without SLE.

METHODS

Using the Offspring of SLE Mothers Registry, we identified children born live to mothers with SLE and their matched controls, and ascertained the number of allergic conditions (asthma, allergic rhinitis, eczema, urticaria, angioedema, and anaphylaxis) based on ≥1 hospitalization or ≥1 or 2 physician(s) visit(s) with a relevant diagnostic code. We adjusted for maternal age, education, race/ethnicity, obstetrics complications, calendar year of birth, sex of the child, and maternal medication.

RESULTS

There were 509 women with SLE who had 719 children, while 5,824 matched controls had 8,493 children. The mean ± SD followup period was 9.1 ± 5.8 years. Compared to controls, more children born to mothers with SLE had evidence of allergic conditions (43.9% [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 40.4-47.6] versus 38.1% [95% CI 37.0-39.1]). In multivariate analysis (n = 9,212), children born to mothers with SLE had an increased risk of allergic conditions versus control children (odds ratio 1.35 [95% CI 1.13-1.61]).

CONCLUSION

Compared to children from the general population, children born to women with SLE may have an increased risk of allergic conditions. Genetics, shared environmental exposures, as well as in utero exposure to maternal autoantibodies and cytokines may mediate this increased risk.

Smoking Is the Most Significant Modifiable Lung Cancer Risk Factor in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

OBJECTIVE

To assess lung cancer risk in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), relative to demographics, drug exposures, smoking, and disease activity.

METHODS

We analyzed data from 14 SLE cohorts. We calculated adjusted HR estimates for lung cancer in SLE, relative to demographics, smoking, time-dependent medication exposures, and cumulative disease activity [mean adjusted SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) scores]. This project was approved by the ethics boards of all participating institutions, including the Institutional Review Board of the McGill University Health Centre. The ethics approval number for the Cancer Risk study is GEN-06-031.

RESULTS

Within these 14 SLE cohorts, 49 incident lung cancers occurred. Among lung cancer cases, 59.0% were in the highest SLEDAI quartile at baseline versus 40.8% of lung cancer-free SLE controls. The vast majority (84.2%) of SLE lung cancer cases were ever-smokers at baseline, versus 40.1% of those without lung cancer. In adjusted models, the principal factors associated with lung cancer were ever smoking (at cohort entry) and current age. Estimated adjusted effects of all drugs were relatively imprecise, but did not point toward any drug exposures as strong lung cancer risk factors.

CONCLUSION

We saw no clear evidence for drugs as a trigger for lung cancer risk in SLE, although drug risk estimates were relatively imprecise. Smoking may be the most significant modifiable lung cancer risk factor in SLE.

Nitrated nucleosome levels and neuropsychiatric events in systemic lupus erythematosus; a multi-center retrospective case-control study

Background

In patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) there is no serological test that will reliably distinguish neuropsychiatric (NP) events due to active SLE from those due to other causes. Previously we showed that serum levels of nitrated nucleosomes (NN) were elevated in a small number of patients with NPSLE. Here we measured serum NN in samples from a larger population of patients with SLE and NP events to see whether elevated serum NN could be a marker for NPSLE.

Methods

We obtained serum samples from patients in the Systemic Lupus International Collaborative Clinics (SLICC) inception cohort. This included 216 patients with NP events and two matched controls with SLE but no NP events for each of these patients. For the NP patients we tested samples taken before, during and after the NP event.

Results

Twenty-six patients had events attributed to SLE according to the most stringent SLICC attribution rule. In these patients there was no association between onset of event and elevated serum NN. In 190 patients in whom events were not attributed to SLE by the SLICC rules, median serum NN was elevated at the onset of event (P = 0.006). The predominant clinical features in this group of 190 patients were headache, mood disorders and anxiety.

Conclusions

Serum NN levels rise at the time of an NP event in a proportion of patients with SLE. Further studies are needed to determine the value of serum NN as a biomarker for NPSLE.

Lupus-related single nucleotide polymorphisms and risk of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

OBJECTIVE

Determinants of the increased risk of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in SLE are unclear. Using data from a recent lymphoma genome-wide association study (GWAS), we assessed whether certain lupus-related single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were also associated with DLBCL.

METHODS

GWAS data on European Caucasians from the International Lymphoma Epidemiology Consortium (InterLymph) provided a total of 3857 DLBCL cases and 7666 general-population controls. Data were pooled in a random-effects meta-analysis.

RESULTS

Among the 28 SLE-related SNPs investigated, the two most convincingly associated with risk of DLBCL included the CD40 SLE risk allele rs4810485 on chromosome 20q13 (OR per risk allele=1.09, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.16, p=0.0134), and the HLA SLE risk allele rs1270942 on chromosome 6p21.33 (OR per risk allele=1.17, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.36, p=0.0362). Of additional possible interest were rs2205960 and rs12537284. The rs2205960 SNP, related to a cytokine of the tumour necrosis factor superfamily TNFSF4, was associated with an OR per risk allele of 1.07, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.16, p=0.0549. The OR for the rs12537284 (chromosome 7q32, IRF5 gene) risk allele was 1.08, 95% CI 0.99 to 1.18, p=0.0765.

CONCLUSIONS

These data suggest several plausible genetic links between DLBCL and SLE.

A review on SLE and malignancy

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic, systemic autoimmune disease characterized by autoantibody production, complement activation, and immune complex deposition. It predominantly affects young and middle-aged women. While improvements in the diagnosis and treatment of SLE have altered prognosis, morbidity and mortality rates remain higher than the general population. In addition to renal injury, cardiovascular disease, and infection, malignancy is known to be a significant cause of death in this population. There is increasing evidence to suggest that patients with SLE have a slightly higher overall risk of malignancy. The risk of malignancy in SLE is of considerable interest because the immune and genetic pathways underlying the pathogenesis of SLE and the immunosuppressant drugs (ISDs) used in its management may mediate this altered risk. Our current understanding of these and other risk factors and the implications for treating SLE and screening for malignancy is still evolving. This review summarizes the association between SLE and malignancy. The first section discusses the risk of overall and site-specific malignancies in both adult- and pediatric-onset SLE. Next, we evaluate the risk factors and possible mechanisms underlying the link between malignancy and SLE, including the use of ISDs, presence of certain SLE-related autoantibodies, chronic immune dysregulation, environmental factors, and shared genetic susceptibility. Finally, we review guidelines regarding cancer screening and vaccination for human papilloma virus.

Disparities in rate, triggers, and management in pediatric and adult cases of suspected drug-induced anaphylaxis in Canada

INTRODUCTION

Data is sparse on drug-induced anaphylaxis (DIA) and there have not been studies assessing the differences in clinical characteristics and management of DIA between adults and children.

OBJECTIVE

We assessed the percentage, diagnosis, and management of DIA among all anaphylaxis visits in three pediatric and one adult emergency departments (ED) across Canada.

METHODS

Children presenting to the Montreal Children's Hospital (MCH), British Columbia Children's Hospital (BCCH), and Children's Hospital at London Health Sciences Center and adults presenting to Hôpital du Sacré-Coeur with anaphylaxis were recruited as part of the Cross-Canada Anaphylaxis Registry. A standardized data form documenting the reaction and management was completed and patients were followed annually to determine assessment by allergist and use of confirmatory tests.

RESULTS

From June 2012 to May 2016, 51 children were recruited from the pediatric centers and 64 adults from the adult center with drug-induced anaphyalxis. More than half the cases were prospectively recruited. The percentage of DIA among all cases of anaphylaxis was similar in all three pediatric centers but higher in the adult center in Montreal. Most reactions in children were triggered by non-antibiotic drugs, and in adults, by antibiotics. The majority of adults and a third of children did not see an allergist after the initial reaction. In those that did see an allergist, diagnosis was established by either a skin test or an oral challenge in less than 20% of cases.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results reveal disparities in rate, culprit, and management of DIA in children versus adults. Further, most cases of suspected drug allergy are not appropriately diagnosed. Guidelines to improve assessment and diagnosis of DIA are required.

Malignancy in Pediatric-onset Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

OBJECTIVE

To determine cancer incidence in a large pediatric-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) population.

METHODS

Data were examined from 12 pediatric SLE registries in North America. Patients were linked to their regional cancer registries to detect cancers observed after cohort entry, defined as date first seen in the clinic. The expected number of malignancies was obtained by multiplying the person-years in the cohort (defined from cohort entry to end of followup) by the geographically matched age-, sex-, and calendar year-specific cancer rates. The standardized incidence ratio (SIR; ratio of cancers observed to expected) was generated, with 95% CI.

RESULTS

A total of 1168 patients were identified from the registries. The mean age at cohort entry was 13 years (SD 3.3), and 83.7% of the subjects were female. The mean duration of followup was 7.6 years, resulting in a total observation period of 8839 years spanning the calendar period 1974-2009. During followup, fourteen invasive cancers occurred (1.6 cancers per 1000 person-yrs, SIR 4.13, 95% CI 2.26-6.93). Three of these were hematologic (all lymphomas), resulting in an SIR for hematologic cancers of 4.68 (95% CI 0.96-13.67). SIR were increased for both male and female patients, and across age groups.

CONCLUSION

Although cancer remains a relatively rare outcome in pediatric-onset SLE, our data do suggest an increase in cancer for patients followed an average of 7.6 years. About one-fifth of the cancers were hematologic. Longer followup, and study of drug effects and disease activity, is warranted.

"If we are waiting for the numbers alone, we will miss the point": a qualitative study of the perceived rise of food allergy and associated risk factors in the Greater Accra Region, Ghana

Background

Globally, food allergy [FA] is considered a growing health epidemic. While much of what is known comes from developed countries, there is growing interest in the epidemiology of FA in developing regions such as sub-Saharan Africa. Indeed, researchers are beginning to document the incidence and prevalence of FA and sensitization. The results outlined in this paper stem from an exploratory qualitative study examining the emergence of the health risk of FA in Ghana, a country undergoing epidemiologic changes.

Methods

Between June and August, 2015, we conducted thirty-seven (37) semi-structured in-depth interviews. This comprised seventeen (17) healthcare workers across 12 public and private hospitals and twenty (20) individuals with FA and families with allergic children. All interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Transcripts were analyzed to develop thematic areas that characterize perceptions and experiences around FA.

Results

Three key broad themes arise from this study. First, FA is an emerging health risk, whose incidence is perceived to be increasing. Second, participants expressed mixed perceptions about the public health burden of FA. Third, participants identified individual and societal factors that may be influencing FA risks and susceptibility.

Conclusion

Our research suggests FA is a growing but unrecognized public health concern. There is the need for health policies and researchers to consider the full extent of ongoing epidemiologic changes for the health of populations in developing regions.

A Longitudinal Analysis of Outcomes of Lupus Nephritis in an International Inception Cohort Using a Multistate Model Approach

OBJECTIVE

To study bidirectional change and predictors of change in estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and proteinuria in lupus nephritis (LN) using a multistate modeling approach.

METHODS

Patients in the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics inception cohort were classified annually into estimated GFR state 1 (>60 ml/minute), state 2 (30-60 ml/minute), or state 3 (<30 ml/minute) and estimated proteinuria state 1 (<0.25 gm/day), state 2 (0.25-3.0 gm/day), or state 3 (>3.0 gm/day), or end-stage renal disease (ESRD) or death. Using multistate modeling, relative transition rates between states indicated improvement and deterioration.

RESULTS

Of 1,826 lupus patients, 700 (38.3%) developed LN. During a mean ± SD follow-up of 5.2 ± 3.5 years, the likelihood of improvement in estimated GFR and estimated proteinuria was greater than the likelihood of deterioration. After 5 years, 62% of patients initially in estimated GFR state 3 and 11% of patients initially in estimated proteinuria state 3 transitioned to ESRD. The probability of remaining in the initial states 1, 2, and 3 was 85%, 11%, and 3%, respectively, for estimated GFR and 62%, 29%, and 4%, respectively, for estimated proteinuria. Male sex predicted improvement in estimated GFR states; older age, race/ethnicity, higher estimated proteinuria state, and higher renal biopsy chronicity scores predicted deterioration. For estimated proteinuria, race/ethnicity, earlier calendar years, damage scores without renal variables, and higher renal biopsy chronicity scores predicted deterioration; male sex, presence of lupus anticoagulant, class V nephritis, and mycophenolic acid use predicted less improvement.

CONCLUSION

In LN, the expected improvement or deterioration in renal outcomes can be estimated by multistate modeling and is preceded by identifiable risk factors. New therapeutic interventions for LN should meet or exceed these expectations.

Breast cancer in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE): receptor status and treatment

Objective There is a decreased risk of breast cancer in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) versus the general population; little is known regarding the receptor status of breast cancers in SLE, or treatment. Methods Breast cancer cases occurring after SLE diagnosis were ascertained through linkage with tumor registries. We determined breast cancer positivity for estrogen receptors (ER), progesterone receptors (PR), and/or Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 (HER2), as well as cancer treatment. Results We obtained information on ER, PR, and/or HER2 status for 63 SLE patients with breast cancer. Fifty-three had information on ER and/or PR status; 36 of these (69%) were ER positive. Thirty-six of the 63 had information on HER2 status; of these, 26 had complete information on all three receptors. Twenty-one of these 26 (81%) were HER2 negative; seven of 26(27%) were triple negative. All but one patient underwent surgery; 11.5% received both non-tamoxifen chemotherapy and radiotherapy, 16.4% radiotherapy without non-tamoxifen chemotherapy, and 14.7% received non-tamoxifen chemotherapy without radiotherapy. Conclusion ER positivity was similar to historical general population figures, with a trend toward a higher proportion of triple-negative breast cancers in SLE (possibly reflecting the relatively young age of our SLE patients).

Preventing the development of SLE: identifying risk factors and proposing pathways for clinical care

Although challenging, developing evidence-based approaches to an early and accurate diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus is a key approach to preventing disease and lupus-associated morbidity and mortality. Advances in our understanding of preclinical and incomplete lupus erythematosus have enabled the identification of risk factors that may predict disease and the development of potential strategies aimed at primary prevention. Emerging data support the notion that there is a temporal disease progression from initial asymptomatic autoimmunity (preclinical lupus) through early clinical features of the disease (incomplete lupus erythematosus) to finally becoming fully classifiable systemic lupus erythematosus (complete lupus erythematosus). Here, we review the demographic, clinical, biomarker as well as genetic and environmental features that are reported to increase the risk of disease progression. Based on these risk factors, we propose a clinical care pathway for patients with early disease. We envisage that such a pathway, through early identification of disease, may improve patient outcomes, while reducing health care costs.