Increasing Ancestral Diversity in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Clinical Studies

Lupus and other autoimmune diseases: Epidemiology in the population of African ancestry and diagnostic and management challenges in Africa

Autoimmune diseases are prevalent among people of African ancestry living outside Africa. However, the burden of autoimmune diseases in Africa is not well understood. This article provides a global overview of the current burden of autoimmune diseases in individuals of African descent. It also discusses the major factors contributing to autoimmune diseases in this population group, as well as the challenges involved in diagnosing and managing autoimmune diseases in Africa.

Barriers and strategies for recruiting participants who identify as racial minorities in musculoskeletal health research: a scoping review

Objective

Visible minorities are disproportionately affected by musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) and other diseases; yet are largely underrepresented in health research. The purpose of this scoping review was to identify barriers and strategies associated with increasing recruitment of visible minorities in MSD research.

Methods

Electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and PsycInfo) were searched. Search strategies used terms related to the concepts of 'race/ethnicity', 'participation', 'research' and 'musculoskeletal'. All research designs were included. Two reviewers independently screened titles and abstracts, completed full-text reviews, and extracted data. Papers that did not focus on musculoskeletal research, include racial minorities, or focus on participation in research were excluded. Study characteristics (study location, design and methods; sample characteristics (size, age, sex and race); MSD of interest) as well as barriers and strategies to increasing participation of visible minorities in MSD research were extracted from each article and summarized in a table format.

Results

Of the 4,282 articles identified, 28 met inclusion criteria and were included. The majority were conducted in the United States (27 articles). Of the included studies, the groups of visible minorities represented were Black (25 articles), Hispanic (14 articles), Asian (6 articles), Indigenous (3 articles), Middle Eastern (1 article), and Multiracial (1 article). The most commonly cited barriers to research participation were mistrust, logistical barriers (e.g., transportation, inaccessible study location, financial constraints), and lack of awareness or understanding of research. Strategies for increasing diversity were ensuring benefit of participants, recruiting through sites serving the community of interest, and addressing logistical barriers.

Conclusion

Understanding the importance of diversity in MSD research, collaborating with communities of visible minorities, and addressing logistical barriers may be effective in reducing barriers to the participation of visible minorities in health research. This review presents strategies to aid researchers in increasing inclusion in MSD-related research.

Gene Expression and Autoantibody Analysis Revealing Distinct Ancestry-Specific Profiles Associated With Response to Rituximab in Refractory Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

OBJECTIVE

Gene expression profiles are associated with the clinical heterogeneity of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) but are not well studied as biomarkers for therapy. We studied gene expression and response to rituximab in a multiethnic UK cohort who were refractory to standard therapy.

METHODS

We evaluated baseline expression levels of transcripts known to associate with clinical features of SLE using a 96-probe TaqMan array and whole blood samples from 213 patients with active SLE who had been prospectively enrolled in the British Isles Lupus Assessment Group (BILAG) Biologics Register. We measured autoantibodies using immunoprecipitation and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. We determined responses to first-cycle rituximab at 6 months from treatment start in 110 SLE patients by assessing BILAG 2004 disease activity.

RESULTS

Interferon gene expression scores were lower in patients of European ancestry than in all other ancestry groups. The relationship between blood interferon gene expression scores and scores annotated to plasmablasts, neutrophils, myeloid lineage, inflammation, and erythropoiesis differed between patients of European and non-European ancestries. Hierarchical clustering revealed 3 distinct non-European ancestry patient subsets with stratified responses to rituximab that were not explained by sociodemographic and clinical variables, with responses lowest in an interferon-low, neutrophil-high cluster and highest in a cluster with high expression levels across all signatures (P < 0.001). Clusters in European ancestry patients did not predict response to rituximab but segregated patients by global disease activity and renal involvement. In both ancestral groups, interferon-high clusters were associated with U1 RNP/Sm antibodies.

CONCLUSION

Ancestry appears central to the immunologic and clinical heterogeneity in SLE. These results suggest that ancestry, disease activity, and transcriptional signatures could each assist in predicting the effectiveness of B cell depletion therapies.

Use of Popular Opinion Leader Models to Disseminate Information About Clinical Trials to Black Individuals With Lupus in Two US Cities

OBJECTIVE

Clinical trials for systemic lupus erythematosus ("lupus") under enroll Black individuals despite higher disease prevalence, morbidity, and mortality among Black compared to White individuals. To begin to address this disparity, we leveraged community-academic partnerships in 2 US cities (Boston and Chicago) to train popular opinion leaders (POLs) to disseminate information about clinical trials in predominantly Black communities.

METHODS

The team of community and academic partners collaboratively developed a 5-module curriculum about clinical trials, barriers, facilitators, and structural racism in research. We enrolled POLs in Boston and Chicago to participate virtually in the curriculum and assessed knowledge gained by comparing pre- and post-test scores. We described the POLs' ability to disseminate information about clinical trials through their communities.

RESULTS

We enrolled 19 POLs in Boston and 16 in Chicago; overall, 71% reported a lupus diagnosis, 94% were female, and 80% self-identified as Black or African American. The program was adapted to virtual formats due to the COVID-19 pandemic. POLs demonstrated significant improvement comparing pre/post scores for the conduct of clinical trials and history of racism in clinical research. Fifteen POLs (43%) reported their dissemination of information about clinical trials. Information reached 425 community members in Boston (90% virtually) and 1,887 in Chicago (95% virtually).

CONCLUSION

By leveraging community-academic partnerships, we developed and implemented a curriculum to promote familiarity with clinical trials, leading to information dissemination by POLs in predominantly Black communities that are underrepresented in lupus clinical trials. The program successfully transitioned to a virtual model during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The association of lupus nephritis with adverse pregnancy outcomes among women with lupus in North America

OBJECTIVES

We evaluated the association of lupus nephritis (LN) and adverse pregnancy outcomes in prospective cohorts of pregnant women with SLE (systemic lupus erythematosus).

METHODS

We conducted a patient-level pooled analysis of data from three cohorts of pregnant women with SLE. Pooled logistic regression models were used to evaluate the association of LN and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated using a fixed effect model by enrolling cohort.

RESULTS

The pooled cohort included 393 women who received care at clinics in the United States and Canada from 1995 to 2015. There were 144 (37%) women with a history of LN. Compared to women without LN, those with LN had higher odds of fetal loss (OR: 1.90; 95% CI: 1.01, 3.56) and preeclampsia (OR: 2.04; 95% CI: 1.01, 4.13). Among the 31 women with active nephritis (defined as urine protein ≥ 0.5 g/24 h) there was a higher odds of poor pregnancy outcome (OR: 3.08; 95% CI: 1.31, 7.23) and fetal loss (OR: 6.29; 95% CI: 2.52, 15.70) compared to women without LN.

CONCLUSIONS

In this pooled cohort of women with SLE, a history of LN was associated with fetal loss and preeclampsia. Active nephritis was associated with poor pregnancy outcome and fetal loss.

Under-representation of key demographic groups in opioid use disorder trials

Background

The extent to which clinical trials of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) are representative or not is unknown. Some patient characteristics modify MOUD effectiveness; if these same characteristics differ in distribution between the trial population and usual-care population, this could contribute to lack of generalizability-a discrepancy between trial and usual-care effectiveness. Our objective was to identify interpretable, multidimensional subgroups who were prescribed MOUD in substance use treatment programs in the US but who were not represented or under-represented by clinical trial participants.

Methods

This was a secondary descriptive analysis of trial and real-world data. The trial data included twenty-seven US opioid treatment programs in the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network, N = 2,199 patients. The real-world data included US substance use treatment programs that receive public funding, N = 740,015 patients. We characterized real-world patient populations who were non-represented and under-represented in the trial data in terms of sociodemographic and clinical characteristics that could modify MOUD effectiveness.

Results

We found that 10.7% of MOUD patients in TEDS-A were not represented in the three clinical trials. As expected, pregnant MOUD patients (n = 19,490) were not represented. Excluding pregnancy, education and marital status from the characteristics, 2.6% of MOUD patients were not represented. Patients aged 65 years and older (n = 11,204), and those 50-64 years who identified as other (non-White, non-Black, and non-Hispanic) race/ethnicity or multi-racial (n = 7,281) were under-represented.

Conclusions

Quantifying and characterizing non- or under-represented subgroups in trials can provide the data necessary to improve representation in future trials and address research-to-practice gaps.

"There's so much to be done": a qualitative study to elucidate research priorities in childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus

Objective

There is a pressing need for high-quality, comprehensive research to describe the natural history, best treatments, access to care and disparities in care for patients with childhood-onset SLE (cSLE). Building on a previously published survey study of cSLE clinicians and researchers to describe research priorities in cSLE, the primary objective of this study was to conduct expert interviews to define high-priority areas for cSLE research.

Methods

Individuals with identified multidisciplinary expertise in cSLE were recruited worldwide using purposive sampling technique. Experts participated in open-ended, semistructured qualitative interviews. Interviews were designed to elicit expert perspectives on research priorities, optimal research approaches, and factors that facilitate and hinder advancing cSLE research. Interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed and de-identified for analysis. Analysis for underlying themes of cSLE expert perspectives was performed using a constant comparative approach.

Results

Twenty-nine experts with diverse clinical and research backgrounds participated. Themes emerged within five domains: (1) expanding disease knowledge; (2) investigator collaboration; (3) partnering with patients and families; (4) improving care to optimise research; and (5) overcoming investigator barriers. Choosing a singular area of focus was difficult; experts identified many competing priorities. Despite the numerous priorities that emerged, experts described several existing and potential opportunities for advancing cSLE research.

Conclusions

In addition to the priorities identified by cSLE experts in this study, the opportunities for advancing cSLE research and care that were proposed should be used as a foundation for creation of a cSLE research agenda for both research and funding allocation.

Pediatric Rheumatic Disease in Lower to Middle-Income Countries: Impact of Global Disparities, Ancestral Diversity, and the Path Forward

Pediatric rheumatology subspecialists treat chronic autoimmune diseases with onset in childhood. Prompt diagnosis and ongoing management of these conditions are imperative to prevent damage from ongoing inflammation. Here, we aim to describe the current landscape of pediatric rheumatic disease in lower to middle-income countries (LMICs) and explore current barriers to understanding global disease burden. We then examine innovative strategies to promote a more equitable future for children and young people living with rheumatic diseases worldwide.