SLICC/ACR Damage Index is valid, and renal and pulmonary organ scores are predictors of severe outcome in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Damage in a large systemic lupus erythematosus cohort from the Spanish Society of Rheumatology Lupus Registry (RELESSER) with emphasis on the cardiovascular system: a longitudinal analysis

OBJECTIVE

To assess organ damage, with emphasis on the cardiovascular system, over the different stages of the disease in a large SLE cohort.

METHODS

Multicentre, longitudinal study of a cohort of 4219 patients with SLE enrolled in the Spanish Society of Rheumatology Lupus Registry. Organ damage was ascertained using the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index (SDI). We longitudinally analysed SDI (globally and for each domain) over time only in the 1274 patients whose dates of damage events had been recorded.

RESULTS

During the first year after diagnosis of SLE, 20% of the 1274 patients presented with new damage manifestations. At years 2 and 3, new damage was recorded in 11% and 9% of patients. The annual percentage of patients with new damage after year 5 decreased to 5%. In the first year with the disease, most damage was accumulated in the musculoskeletal, neuropsychiatric and renal systems; in later stages, most damage was in the musculoskeletal, ocular and cardiovascular systems. Considering 'cerebrovascular accident' and 'claudication for 6 months' as cardiovascular items, the cardiovascular system was the second most affected system during the early stages of SLE, with 19% of the patients who presented with damage affected at first year after diagnosis. During the late stages, 20-25% of the patients presenting with new damage did so in this modified cardiovascular domain of the SDI.

CONCLUSIONS

New damage occurs mainly during the first year following diagnosis of SLE. Cardiovascular damage is relevant in both the early and the late stages of the disease. Strategies to prevent cardiovascular damage should be implemented early after diagnosis of SLE.

A cross sectional study assessing steatotic liver disease in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Patients with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases are prone to steatotic liver disease (SLD), which has been observed in patients with psoriasis and hidradenitis suppurativa. We aimed to assess whether systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) was associated with SLD and to define factors associated with SLD in SLE. This was a cross-sectional study, we included 106 consecutive patients with SLE who were seen in the rheumatology clinic between June 2021 and March 2022 and we chose two sex-paired controls for each SLE. All the participants underwent FibroScan and anthropometric assessments. SLD was defined as a controlled attenuation parameter ≥ 275dB/m. Prevalence of SLD was lower in patients with SLE (21.7% vs 41.5%, p < 0.001). Patients with SLE and SLD had a lower frequency of hydroxychloroquine use (65% vs 84%, p = 0.04), and higher C3 levels [123mg/dl (IQR 102-136) vs 99mg/dl (IQR 78-121), p = 0.004]. Factors associated with SLD in SLE were body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, glucose, and C3; hydroxychloroquine use was a protective factor. On univariate analysis, SLE was associated with a reduced risk of SLD (OR 0.39, 95%CI 0.23-0.67); however, after adjusting for age, BMI, waist, glucose, triglycerides, high-density cholesterol, low-density cholesterol, leukocytes, and hydroxychloroquine, it was no longer associated (OR 0.43, 95%CI 0.10-1.91). In conclusion, the prevalence of SLD in patients with SLE was not higher than that in the general population, and SLE was not associated with SLD. The factors associated with SLD were anthropometric data, glucose, hydroxychloroquine, and C3 levels.

Predictors of Organ Damage in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in the Asia Pacific Region: A Systematic Review

OBJECTIVE

Irreversible organ damage is common in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Despite evidence of increased prevalence and severity of SLE in Asia Pacific, organ damage is less well studied in this region. This systematic review aims to identify predictors of organ damage in SLE in the Asia Pacific region.

METHODS

We searched Medline, PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science for observational studies on organ damage in adult patients with SLE in Asia Pacific from August 31, to September 5, 2022. Study selection and data extraction were completed by two independent reviewers using Covidence systematic review software. Risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and Joanna Briggs Institute tool. Significant results from univariable and multivariable analyses were synthesized from included studies.

RESULTS

Thirty-eight eligible studies were selected from 1999 to 2022; 22 (58%) of these reported organ damage at study enrollment and 19 (50%) reported damage accrual, as measured by the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinic/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index. Factors predictive of organ damage included older age, glucocorticoid use, longer disease duration, and disease activity. Lupus nephritis was a risk factor for renal and overall damage accrual. Hydroxychloroquine was protective against overall organ damage.

CONCLUSION

Predictors of organ damage in SLE in Asia Pacific are similar to other regions. Although glucocorticoid use is a modifiable risk factor for organ damage, the impact of immunosuppressives and biologic therapies needs further investigation. Effective strategies in early disease are needed to minimize initial organ damage as it predicts subsequent damage accrual.

The development and initial validation of IgG4-related disease damage index: a consensus report from Chinese IgG4-RD Consortium

OBJECTIVE

To develop and conduct an initial validation of the Damage Index for IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD DI).

METHODS

A draft of index items for assessing organ damages in patients with IgG4-RD was generated by experts from the Chinese IgG4-RD Consortium (CIC). The preliminary DI was refined using the Delphi method, and a final version was generated by consensus. 40 IgG4-RD cases representing four types of clinical scenarios were then selected, each with two time points of assessment for at least 3 years of follow-up. 48 rheumatologists from 35 hospitals nationwide were invited to evaluate organ damage using the CIC IgG4-RD DI. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and the Kendall-W coefficient of concordance (KW) were used to assess the inter-rater reliability. The criterion validity of IgG4-RD DI was tested by calculating the sensitivity and specificity of raters.

RESULTS

IgG4-RD DI is a cumulative index consisting of 14 domains of organ systems, including a total of 39 items. The IgG4-RD DI was capable of distinguishing stable and increased damage across the active disease subgroup and stable disease subgroup. In terms of scores at baseline and later observations by all raters, overall consistency in scores at baseline and later observations by all raters was satisfactory. ICC at the two time points was 0.69 and 0.70, and the KW was 0.74 and 0.73, respectively. In subgroup analysis, ICC and KW in all subgroups were over 0.55 and 0.61, respectively. The analysis of criterion validity showed a good performance with a sensitivity of 0.86 (95% CI 0.82 to 0.88), a specificity of 0.79 (95% CI 0.76 to 0.82) and an area under the curve of 0.88 (95% CI 0.85 to 0.91).

CONCLUSION

The IgG4-RD DI is a useful approach to analyse disease outcomes, and it has good operability and credibility. It is anticipated that the DI will become a useful tool for therapeutic trials and studies of prognosis in patients with IgG4-RD.

SMART-SLE: serology monitoring and repeat testing in systemic lupus erythematosus-an analysis of anti-double-stranded DNA monitoring

OBJECTIVE

Disease activity monitoring in SLE includes serial measurement of anti-double stranded-DNA (dsDNA) antibodies, but in patients who are persistently anti-dsDNA positive, the utility of repeated measurement is unclear. We investigated the usefulness of serial anti-dsDNA testing in predicting flare in SLE patients who are persistently anti-dsDNA positive.

METHODS

Data were analysed from patients in a multinational longitudinal cohort with known anti-dsDNA results from 2013 to 2021. Patients were categorized based on their anti-dsDNA results as persistently negative, fluctuating or persistently positive. Cox regression models were used to examine longitudinal associations of anti-dsDNA results with flare.

RESULTS

Data from 37 582 visits of 3484 patients were analysed. Of the patients 1029 (29.5%) had persistently positive anti-dsDNA and 1195 (34.3%) had fluctuating results. Anti-dsDNA expressed as a ratio to the normal cut-off was associated with the risk of subsequent flare, including in the persistently positive cohort (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 1.56; 95% CI: 1.30, 1.87; P < 0.001) and fluctuating cohort (adjusted HR 1.46; 95% CI: 1.28, 1.66), both for a ratio >3. Both increases and decreases in anti-dsDNA more than 2-fold compared with the previous visit were associated with increased risk of flare in the fluctuating cohort (adjusted HR 1.33; 95% CI: 1.08, 1.65; P = 0.008) and the persistently positive cohort (adjusted HR 1.36; 95% CI: 1.08, 1.71; P = 0.009).

CONCLUSION

Absolute value and change in anti-dsDNA titres predict flares, including in persistently anti-dsDNA positive patients. This indicates that repeat monitoring of dsDNA has value in routine testing.

French protocol for the diagnosis and management of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in autoimmune diseases

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) for severe ADs was developed over the past 25years and is now validated by national and international medical societies for severe early systemic sclerosis (SSc) and relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) and available as part of routine care in accredited center. HSCT is also recommended, with varying levels of evidence, as an alternative treatment for several ADs, when refractory to conventional therapy, including specific cases of connective tissue diseases or vasculitis, inflammatory neurological diseases, and more rarely severe refractory Crohn's disease. The aim of this document was to provide guidelines for the current indications, procedures and follow-up of HSCT in ADs. Patient safety considerations are central to guidance on patient selection and conditioning, always validated at the national MATHEC multidisciplinary team meeting (MDTM) based on recent (less than 3months) thorough patient evaluation. HSCT procedural aspects and follow-up are then carried out within appropriately experienced and Joint Accreditation Committee of International Society for Cellular Therapy and SFGM-TC accredited centres in close collaboration with the ADs specialist. These French recommendations were performed according to HAS/FAI2R standard operating procedures and coordinated by the Île-de-France MATHEC Reference Centre for Rare Systemic Autoimmune Diseases (CRMR MATHEC) within the Filière FAI2R and in association with the Filière MaRIH. The task force consisted of 3 patients and 64 clinical experts from various specialties and French centres. These data-derived and consensus-derived recommendations will help clinicians to propose HSCT for their severe ADs patients in an evidence-based way. These recommendations also give directions for future clinical research in this area. These recommendations will be updated according to newly emerging data. Of note, other cell therapies that have not yet been approved for clinical practice or are the subject of ongoing clinical research will not be addressed in this document.

Healthcare Resource Use and Costs Associated with Organ Damage in Newly Diagnosed Adults with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in the UK

INTRODUCTION

This analysis compared healthcare resource use (HCRU) and costs associated with incident organ damage in a cohort of adult patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

METHODS

Incident SLE cases were identified (Clinical Practice Research Datalink [CPRD] and Hospital Episode Statistics-linked healthcare databases; January 1, 2005-June 30, 2019). Annual incidence of 13 organ damage domains was calculated from SLE diagnosis through follow-up. Annualized HCRU and costs were compared between organ damage and non-organ damage patient groups using generalized estimating equations.

RESULTS

A total of 936 patients met the inclusion criteria for SLE. Mean age was 48.0 (standard deviation [SD] 15.7) years and 88% were female. Over a median follow-up period of 4.3 (interquartile range [IQR] 1.9-7.0) years, 59% (315/533) had evidence of post-SLE diagnosis incident organ damage (≥ 1 type), which was greatest for musculoskeletal (146/819 [18%]), cardiovascular (149/842 [18%]), and skin (148/856 [17%]) domains. Patients with organ damage had greater resource use for all organ systems, excluding gonadal, versus those without it. Overall, mean (SD) annualized all-cause HCRU was greater in patients with organ damage versus those without it (inpatient, 1.0 versus 0.2; outpatient, 7.3 versus 3.5; accident and emergency, 0.5 versus 0.2 days; primary care contacts, 28.7 versus 16.5; prescription medications, 62.3 versus 22.9). Adjusted mean annualized all-cause costs were significantly greater in both post- and pre-organ damage index periods for patients with organ damage versus those without it (all P < 0.05, excluding gonadal). Overall organ damage was associated with significantly increased adjusted mean annualized per-patient cost (£4442 greater [P < 0.0001]) ranging between £2709 and £7150 greater depending on the organ damage type.

CONCLUSION

Organ damage was associated with higher HCRU and healthcare costs, before and after SLE diagnosis. More effective SLE management may slow disease progression, prevent organ damage onset, improve clinical outcomes, and reduce healthcare costs.

Assessment of cutaneous disease activity in early lupus and its correlation with quality of life: a cross-sectional study

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multi-system autoimmune disease with varied dermatological manifestations that are almost universal. Overall, lupus disease has a major effect on the quality of life in these patients. We assessed the extent of cutaneous disease in early lupus and correlated it with the SLE quality-of-life (SLEQoL) index and disease activity measures. Patients diagnosed as SLE with the skin involved were recruited at the first presentation and were assessed for cutaneous and systemic disease activity using the cutaneous lupus erythematosus disease area and severity index (CLASI) and the Mexican-SLE disease activity index (Mex-SLEDAI), respectively. Quality of life was assessed with the SLEQoL tool while systemic damage was captured by the SLICC damage index. Fifty-two patients with SLE who had cutaneous involvement were enrolled (40, 76.9% females) with a median disease duration of 1 month (1-3.7). The median age was 27.5 years (IQR: 20-41). Median Mex-SLEDAI and SLICC damage index were 8(IQR: 4.5-11) and 0 (0-1), respectively. The median CLASI activity and damage scores were 3 (1-5) and 1 (0-1), respectively. Overall, there was no correlation between SLEQoL with CLASI or CLASI damage. Only the self-image domain of SLEQoL correlated with total CLASI (ρ = 0.32; p = 0.01) and CLASI-D (ρ = 0.35; p = 0.02). There was a weak correlation of CLASI with the Mexican-SLEDAI score (ρ = 0.30; p = 0.03) but not with the SLICC damage index. In this cohort of early lupus, cutaneous disease activity in lupus had a weak correlation with systemic disease. Cutaneous features did not appear to influence the quality of life except in the self-image domain.

Protocol for virtual physical examination in an observational, longitudinal study evaluating virtual outcome measures in SLE

OBJECTIVE

There is a lack of data on the use of telemedicine (TM) in SLE. SLE outcome measures remain complex, and clinicians and clinical trialists have raised concerns about the accuracy of virtual disease activity measures. This study evaluates the level of agreement between virtual SLE outcome measures and face-to-face (F2F) encounter. Here, we describe the study design, virtual physical examination protocol and demographics for the first 50 patients evaluated.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

This is an observational, longitudinal study of 200 patients with SLE with varying levels of disease activity from 4 academic lupus centres serving diverse populations. Each study participant will be evaluated at a baseline and a follow-up visit. At each visit, participants are evaluated by the same physician first via a videoconference-based TM and then a F2F encounter. For this protocol, virtual physical examination guidelines relying on physician-directed patient self-examination were established. SLE disease activity measures will be completed immediately after the TM encounter and repeated after the F2F encounter for each visit. The degree of agreement between TM and F2F disease activity measures will be analysed using the Bland-Altman method. An interim analysis is planned after the enrolment of the first 50 participants.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

This study has been reviewed by the Columbia University Medical Center Institutional Review Board (IRB Protocol #: AAAT6574). The full results of this study will be published after the final data analysis of 200 patients. The abrupt shift to TM visits due to the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted clinical practice and clinical trials. Establishing a high level of agreement between SLE disease activity measures obtained with videoconference TM and F2F at the same time point, will allow for improved assessment of disease activity when F2F data cannot be acquired. This information may guide both medical decision-making and provide reliable outcome measures for clinical research.

Association of mycophenolate and azathioprine use with cognitive function in systemic lupus

OBJECTIVES

Cognitive dysfunction (CD) is a common manifestation of SLE that can have detrimental consequences for those affected. To date, no treatments have been approved for SLE-CD. This study aims to assess the association of azathioprine (AZA) and mycophenolate (MMF) use with SLE-CD, given that these medications have demonstrated neuroprotective qualities in prior studies.

METHODS

Consecutive adult SLE patients presenting to a single healthcare center were considered for participation. The ACR neuropsychological battery for SLE was administered to consenting patients at 0, 6 and 12 months. Scores were compared with age- and sex-matched controls. Primary outcome was CD, defined as a z-score ≤-1.5 in two or more cognitive domains. Mixed-effects logistic regression models were constructed to estimate the odds of CD with respect to AZA and MMF use.

RESULTS

A total of 300 participants representing 676 patient visits completed the study; 114 (38%) met criteria for CD at baseline. The cumulative AZA dose (g/kg) was associated with reduced odds of CD [odds ratio (OR) 0.76 (95% CI 0.58, 0.98), P = 0.04]. Years of AZA treatment was also associated with reduced odds of CD [OR 0.72 (95% CI 0.54, 0.97), P = 0.03]. MMF use was not associated with CD.

CONCLUSION

AZA use was associated with significantly lower odds of SLE-CD, while MMF use was not. Additional studies are warranted to further investigate the relationship of AZA and SLE-CD.

Patterns of Medication Use in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Multicenter Cohort Study

OBJECTIVE

Evidence for the utility of medications in settings lacking randomized trial data can come from studies of treatment persistence. The present study was undertaken to examine patterns of medication use in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) using data from a large multicenter longitudinal cohort.

METHODS

Prospectively collected data from the Asia Pacific Lupus Collaboration cohort including disease activity (SLE Disease Activity Index 2000 [SLEDAI-2K]) and medication details, captured at every visit from 2013-2018, were used. Medications were categorized as glucocorticoids (GCs), antimalarials (AM), and immunosuppressants (IS). Cox regression analyses were performed to determine the time-to-discontinuation of medications, stratified by SLE disease activity.

RESULTS

Data from 19,804 visits of 2,860 patients were analyzed. Eight medication categories were observed: no treatment; GC, AM, or IS only; GC plus AM; GC plus IS; AM plus IS; and GC plus AM plus IS (triple therapy). Triple therapy was the most frequent pattern (31.4% of visits); single agents were used in 21% of visits, and biologics in only 3%. Time-to-discontinuation analysis indicated that medication persistence varied widely, with the highest treatment persistence for AM and lowest for IS. Patients with a time-adjusted mean SLEDAI-2K score of ≥10 had lower discontinuation of GCs and higher discontinuation of IS.

CONCLUSION

Most patients received combination treatment. GC persistence was high, while IS persistence was low. Patients with high disease activity received more medication combinations but had reduced IS persistence, consistent with limited utility. These data confirm unmet need for improved SLE treatments.

Impact of Belimumab on Organ Damage in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Organ damage is a key determinant of poor long-term prognosis and early death in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Prevention of damage is a key treatment goal of the 2019 update of the European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR) recommendations for SLE management. Belimumab is a monoclonal antibody that inhibits B lymphocyte stimulator (BLyS) and is the only therapy approved for both SLE and lupus nephritis. Here, we review the clinical trial and real-world data on the effects of belimumab on organ damage in adult patients with SLE. Across 4 phase III studies, belimumab in combination with background SLE therapy demonstrated consistent reductions in key drivers of organ damage including disease activity, risk of new severe flares, and glucocorticoid exposure compared to background therapy alone. Long-term belimumab use in SLE also reduced organ damage progression measured by the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index, as reported in open-label extension studies, and propensity score-matched comparative analyses to background therapy alone. Results from a clinical trial showed that in patients with active lupus nephritis, belimumab treatment improved renal response, reduced the risk of renal-related events, and impacted features related to kidney damage progression compared to background therapy alone. The decrease of organ damage accumulation observed with belimumab treatment in SLE, including lupus nephritis, suggest a disease-modifying effect.

The Impacts of the Clinical and Genetic Factors on Chronic Damage in Caucasian Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the distribution of organ damage in a cohort of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients and to evaluate the roles of clinical and genetic factors in determining the development of chronic damage. Methods: Organ damage was assessed by the SLICC Damage Index (SDI). We analyzed a panel of 17 single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) of genes already associated with SLE, and we performed a phenotype−genotype correlation analysis by evaluating specific domains of the SDI. Results: Among 175 Caucasian SLE patients, 105 (60%) exhibited damage (SDI ≥1), with a median value of 1.0 (IQR 3.0). The musculoskeletal (26.2%), neuropsychiatric (24.6%) and ocular domains (20.6%) were involved most frequently. The presence of damage was associated with higher age, longer disease duration, neuropsychiatric (NP) manifestations, anti-phospholipid syndrome and the positivity of anti-dsDNA. Concerning therapies, cyclophosphamide, mycophenolate mofetil and glucocorticoids were associated with the development of damage. The genotype−phenotype correlation analysis showed an association between renal damage, identified in 6.9% of patients, and rs2205960 of TNFSF4 (p = 0.001; OR 17.0). This SNP was significantly associated with end-stage renal disease (p = 0.018, OR 9.68) and estimated GFR < 50% (p = 0.025, OR 1.06). The rs1463335 of MIR1279 gene was associated with the development of NP damage (p = 0.029; OR 2.783). The multivariate logistic regression analysis confirmed the associations between TNFSF4 rs2205960 SNP and renal damage (p = 0.027, B = 2.47) and between NP damage and rs1463335 of MIR1279 gene (p = 0.014, B = 1.29). Conclusions: Our study could provide new insights into the role of genetic background in the development of renal and NP damage.

Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio and platelet to lymphocyte ratio reflect disease activity and flares in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus - A prospective study

OBJECTIVES

To determine the association between neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) with disease activity and flares in an inception cohort of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) using a prospective study design.

METHODS

Consecutive adult patients (age≥21) who fulfilled the 1997 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) or the 2012 Systemic Lupus International Collaboration Clinic Classification (SLICC) Criteria for SLE were followed every 3 months, with SLE disease activity assessed by using SLEDAI-2K, and disease flares defined and captured by the SELENA-SLEDAI Flare Index (SFI). NLR and PLR were computed from the automated machine-counted blood count differentials. Linear mixed model and generalized estimating equation model were constructed to analyze the associations between NLR/PLR and SLEDAI-2K and disease flares, with multivariate adjustments.

RESULTS

Of 290 patients recruited, the median (IQR) duration of follow-up and baseline SLEDAI-2K were 4.7 (3.2-6.1) years and 2 (0.5-3.5), respectively. On multivariable analyses, NLR was shown to be positively and significantly associated with SLEDAI-2K (estimate of coefficient (β)=0.05, P<0.01) and severe disease flares (odds ratio [OR] 1.05, P<0.05), but not with overall disease flares [OR 1.02, non-significant]. While PLR was shown to be positively associated with SLEDAI-2K [β=0.09, P<0.05], no statistically significant association between PLR and overall or severe disease flares was found [OR 1.00 and OR 1.06 respectively, non-significant].

CONCLUSION

Derived readily from automated blood count differentials, the NLR potentially serves as a surrogate prospective marker of disease activity and severe disease flares in SLE patients.

Independent associations of lymphopenia and neutropenia in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: a longitudinal, multinational study

OBJECTIVE

The prevalence and associations of leucopenia in SLE remain incompletely understood. We evaluated associations of disease activity and medication use with leucopenia (lymphopenia and neutropenia) in a multinational, prospectively followed SLE cohort.

METHODS

Data from the Asia Pacific Lupus Collaboration cohort, in which disease activity and medications were prospectively captured from 2013 to 2018, were used. Predictors of lymphopenia (lymphocyte count <0.8 × 109/l) and neutropenia (neutrophil count <1.5 × 109/l) were examined using multiple failure, time-dependent survival analyses.

RESULTS

Data from 2330 patients and 18 287 visits were analysed. One thousand and eighteen patients (43.7%) had at least one episode of leucopenia; 867 patients (37.2%) had lymphopenia, observed in 3065 (16.8%) visits, and 292 (12.5%) patients had neutropenia, in 622 (3.4%) visits. After multivariable analyses, lymphopenia was associated with overall disease activity, ESR, serology, prednisolone, AZA, MTX, tacrolimus, CYC and rituximab use. MTX and ciclosporin were negatively associated with neutropenia. Lupus low disease activity state was negatively associated with both lymphopenia and neutropenia.

CONCLUSION

Both lymphopenia and neutropenia were common in SLE patients but were differentially associated with disease and treatment variables. Lymphopenia and neutropenia should be considered independently in studies in SLE.

Outcome Scores in Pediatric Rheumatology

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Providing a summary of the latest research on outcome measures in juvenile idiopathic arthritis, childhood -onset systemic lupus erythematosus, and juvenile dermatomyositis.

RECENT FINDINGS

A rational management of patients with pediatric rheumatic diseases requires the regular assessment of the level of disease activity and damage, as well as the evaluation of therapeutic response through validated and standardized outcome measures. Ideally, such tools should be simple, feasible, and easily applicable in routine care. Recently, there has been a great deal of effort to refine existing tools and devise novel outcome measures, aiming to address the various aspects of disease impact and to improve the reliability of research studies and clinical trials. The newest outcome tools in pediatric rheumatology have markedly enlarged the spectrum of health domains assessable in a standardized way, thus increasing the reliability of evaluation of clinical response and fostering future clinical trials.

Early damage as measured by SLICC/ACR damage index is a predictor of hospitalization in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)

BACKGROUND

Hospital admissions and re-admissions in lupus patients are common occurrences that can lead to poor prognosis.

OBJECTIVES

We evaluated the leading causes of all-cause hospitalizations and their predictive factors in the Malaysian multi-ethnic SLE patients.

METHODS

This is a retrospective study involving 300 SLE patients. Demographic data and details of hospitalizations from the year 1988 until 2019 were reviewed. Baseline and latest disease activity (SLEDAI-2 K) and SLICC/ACR damage index (SDI) scores were evaluated. To be eligible for this study, their SLE diagnosis and disease duration was at least one year; this is to ensure that the baseline disease damages were measured at least after 6 months of diagnosis and subsequent disease damage indexes were captured.

RESULTS

Majority were of Chinese ethnicity 150 (50%). The cohort's median age was 48 (18-82) years and median disease duration was 13 (1-52) years. 133 (44.3%) had SDI score of ≥1 at baseline (early damage). 69 (23%) had developed new organ damage during this study period.There were 222 (74%) patients ever hospitalized from this cohort. The main cause of hospitalization was lupus flare which included concurrent infection (n = 415 admissions, 46%), followed by elective admissions for procedures and others (n = 284 admissions, 31.5%). Admissions for treatment and disease related complications were 13.8%. 8.7% of admissions were due to infections alone. Median length of stay for SLE-related cause admissions was longer compared to non-SLE related causes. Jointly predictive factors for hospitalization were anti-phospholipid syndrome (OR 5.82), anti-Smith (OR 6.30), anti-SSA (OR 3.37), serositis (OR 14.56), neurological (OR 5.52) and high baseline SDI (OR 1.74), all p < 0.05.

CONCLUSION

Early damage in lupus as measured by SDI is a predictive value of hospitalization. Optimization in managing patients with pre-existing damage is crucial to reduce hospitalization risk and subsequent complications.

Detection of putative autoantibodies in systemic lupus erythematous using a novel native-conformation protein microarray platform

OBJECTIVE

Conventional immunoassays detect autoantibodies related to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) via recognition of epitopes on autoantigens expressed in their denatured rather than native conformational state, casting difficulty in evaluating the genuine pathogenicity of the autoantibodies. We aimed to use a novel high-throughput protein microarray platform to identify autoantibodies against native autoantigens in SLE sera.

METHODS

Sera from SLE patients and those of gender-, age-, and ethnicity-matched healthy controls (HC) were screened against more than 1,600 immune-related antigens of native conformation. The relative fluorescent unit readout from post-assay imaging were subjected to bioinformatics pre-processing and composite normalization. A penetrance fold change (pFC) analysis between SLE and HC samples shortlisted 50 autoantigens that were subjected to an unsupervised cluster analysis. Correlations between the pFC of putative autoantigens and clinical parameters including SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI-2K) and recent SLE flares were explored.

RESULTS

381 autoantigens were identified when 15 SLE and 15 HC serum samples were compared. The top 20 autoantigens which elicited autoantibody responses in SLE sera filtered based on the highest pFC were further analyzed. Autoantigens which the putative autoantibodies reacted against are those involved in chromatin organization such as DEK, regulation of transcription activity including REOX4 and ELF4, and negative regulation of NF_kB activity such as TRIB3. Additionally, the pFC of these autoantibodies significantly and positively correlated with SLEDAI-2K and recent SLE flares.

CONCLUSION

A high-throughput protein microarray platform allows detection and quantification of putative lupus-related autoantibodies which are of potential pathophysiological and prognostic significance in SLE patients.

Proprotein convertase subtilisin kexin 9 is associated with disease activity and is implicated in immune activation in systemic lupus erythematosus

BACKGROUND

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels are increased by proprotein convertase subtilisin kexin 9 (PCSK9) which targets the LDL receptor. We recently reported that PCSK9 ameliorates dendritic cell (DC) activation by oxidized LDL (OxLDL), which is abundant in atherosclerotic plaques and is also associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Here, we investigated the role of PCSK9 in SLE.

METHODS

PCSK9 levels were determined by ELISA among SLE patients (N = 109) and age- and sex-matched population-based controls (N = 91). Common carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and plaque occurrence were determined by B-mode ultrasound. Plaques were graded by echogenicity. Human peripheral blood monocytes from SLE patients or controls were differentiated into DCs. The effects of PCSK9 and its inhibition by silencing were studied.

RESULTS

PCSK9 levels were non-significantly higher among SLE-patients compared to controls but significantly associated with SLE disease activity, as determined by the Systemic Lupus Activity Measure (p = 0.020) or the SLE Disease Activity Index (p = 0.0178). There was no association between PCSK9 levels and atherosclerosis as determined by IMT, prevalence of plaques or echolucent (potentially vulnerable) plaques. PCSK9 levels were significantly associated with CVD among SLE patients but not after adjusting for age. OxLDL induced PCSK9 in DCs and DC maturation with increased expression of CD86 and HLA-DR. The effects were significantly stronger in DCs from SLE patients than from controls. Silencing of PCSK9 abolished OxLDL-induced DC maturation.

CONCLUSIONS

PCSK9 is associated with disease activity in SLE. One underlying cause could be OxLDL promoting DC activation which depends on PCSK9. OxLDL induces PCSK9 - an effect which is higher among SLE patients. PCSK9 could play an unexpected immunological role in SLE.

Regulation of microRNA in systemic lupus erythematosus: the role of miR-21 and miR-210

miRNAs are small non-coding RNA molecules that participate through silencing in post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression. Recent studies have highlighted the importance of microRNAs (miRNAs) as regulators of both the innate and the adaptive immune response. There are emerging data regarding the role of miRNAs in patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). One of the main stimuli for the induction of miR-21 is hypoxia. Moreover, the expression and function of miR-210 is directly related to the activity of "hypoxia inducible factor-1a" (HIF-1a). The aim of the study is to examine the regulation of miR-21 and mir-210 in patients with SLE based on the hypothesis that cellular hypoxia may have an important role in SLE pathogenesis. Plasma, PBMC and urine samples will be collected from patients with SLE and normal controls. miR expression will be studied with real-time PCR. Functional experiments will examine the effect of miR-21 and miR- 210 on HIFa and ERK1/2 και PI3K/AKT signalling pathways. The study will provide novel data regarding the expression and the role of miR-21 and miR-210 in patients with SLE. The results of the study will contribute to a better understanding of miR network regulation in SLE in order to ultimately identify molecules that can be used in clinical practice as diagnostic or prognostic markers, treatment response markers, or even as potential future therapeutic targets.

Longitudinal associations of active renal disease with irreversible organ damage accrual in systemic lupus erythematosus

Objective

To examine longitudinal associations of active lupus nephritis with organ damage accrual in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Methods

This study was performed using data from a large multinational prospective cohort. Active lupus nephritis at any visit was defined by the presence of urinary casts, proteinuria, haematuria or pyuria, as indicated by the cut-offs in the SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI)-2K, collected at each visit. Organ damage accrual was defined as a change of SLICC-ACR Damage Index (SDI) score >0 units between baseline and final annual visits. Renal damage accrual was defined if there was new damage recorded in renal SDI domains (estimated glomerular filtration rate <50%/proteinuria >3.5 g per 24 h/end-stage kidney disease). Time-dependent hazard regression analyses were used to examine the associations between active lupus nephritis and damage accrual.

Results

Patients ( N = 1735) were studied during 12,717 visits for a median (inter-quartile range) follow-up period of 795 (532, 1087) days. Forty per cent of patients had evidence of active lupus nephritis at least once during the study period, and active lupus nephritis was observed in 3030 (24%) visits. Forty-eight per cent of patients had organ damage at baseline and 14% accrued organ damage. Patients with active lupus nephritis were 52% more likely to accrue any organ damage compared with those without active lupus nephritis (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.52 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.16, 1.97), p < 0.02). Active lupus nephritis was strongly associated with damage accrual in renal but not in non-renal organ domains (hazard ratios = 13.0 (95% CI: 6.58, 25.5) p < 0.001 and 0.96 (95% CI: 0.69, 1.32) p = 0.8, respectively). There was no effect of ethnicity on renal damage accrual, but Asian ethnicity was significantly associated with reduced non-renal damage accrual.

Conclusion

Active lupus nephritis measured using the SLEDAI-2K domain cut-offs is associated with renal, but not non-renal, damage accrual in SLE.

Decreased Expression of Semaphorin 3A and Semaphorin 7A Levels and Its Association with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

A growing body of data suggests that semaphorins are involved in both normal and pathological immune responses, as well as autoimmune pathologies. To investigate the plasma semaphorin 3A (Sema3A) and semaphorin 7A (Sema7A) levels in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients and their correlation with clinical manifestations and laboratory indexes, a two-step method was applied. First, 80 SLE patients and 80 healthy controls were recruited for comparing serum Sema3A and Sema7A concentrations. Second, 40 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and 40 sjögren's syndrome (SS) patients were then included as disease controls. Plasma Sema3A and Sema7A concentrations were detected by ELISA. There were significant differences in Sema3A and Sema7A among four groups. When compared to healthy controls, both Sema3A and Sema7A levels were decreased in SLE and increased in RA; increased Sema3A level and decreased Sema7A level were found in SS. There were significant differences in Sema3A concentration between SLE and RA, SLE and SS. Moreover, there were significant differences in Sema7A level between SLE and RA, SS and RA. However, no significant differences in Sema3A between SS and RA and no significant differences in Sema7A between SS and SLE were observed. Both plasma Sema3A and Sema7A levels were correlated with anti-SSA and IgM. Area under curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for Sema3A and Sema7A were 0.535 (0.455-0.613) and 0.671 (0.594-0.742), respectively. Aberrant Sema3A and Sema7A expression and their clinical associations in SLE suggest their important role in this disease.

The majority of Swedish systemic lupus erythematosus patients are still affected by irreversible organ impairment: factors related to damage accrual in two regional cohorts

Background

Although the survival of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has improved, irreversible organ damage remains a critical concern. We aimed to characterize damage accrual and its clinical associations and causes of death in Swedish patients.

Methods

Accumulation of damage was evaluated in 543 consecutively recruited and well-characterized cases during 1998−2017. The Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC)/American College of Rheumatology damage index (SDI) was used to estimate damage.

Results

Organ damage (SDI ≥ 1) was observed in 59%, and extensive damage (SDI ≥ 3) in 25% of cases. SDI ≥ 1 was significantly associated with higher age at onset, SLE duration, the number of fulfilled SLICC criteria, neurologic disorder, antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS), hypertension, hyperlipidemia, depression and secondary Sjögren's syndrome (SS). In addition, SDI ≥ 3 was associated with serositis, renal and haematological disorders and interstitial lung disease. A multiple regression model identified not only well-known risk factors like APS, antihypertensives and corticosteroids, but pericarditis, haemolytic anaemia, lymphopenia and myositis as being linked to SDI. Malignancy, infection and cardiovascular disease were the leading causes of death.

Conclusions

After a mean SLE duration of 17 years, the majority of today's Swedish SLE patients have accrued damage. We confirm previous observations and report some novel findings regarding disease phenotypes and damage accrual.

Damage indices in rheumatic diseases: A systematic review of the literature

OBJECTIVE

To review the current literature, and evaluate the psychometric properties of disease damage indices in rheumatic diseases.

METHODS

A search of Medline, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases was performed to June 2018 to identify damage indices in all systemic rheumatic diseases. Articles were included in a systematic review if indices were composite (multi-organ) in nature and if adequate detail on methodology was described. Articles pertaining to the validation of these indices were also reviewed in order to assess the psychometric properties of the indices using the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology Arthritis Clinical Trials (OMERACT) filter as a guide.

RESULTS

Of the 2659 articles retrieved through the search, we identified 7 damage indices in five diseases: idiopathic inflammatory myopathy, systemic lupus erythematosus, systemic vasculitis, Sjӧgren's syndrome and antiphospholipid syndrome. A further 48 articles were identified pertaining to the validation of these damage indices. The methodological process for the development of these indices included expert consensus, item reduction and item weighting methods. The level of validation that these indices have achieved is variable, with only 2 damage indices fulfilling all criteria of the OMERACT filter.

CONCLUSIONS

To date, there have been 7 composite disease damage indices created in a variety of rheumatic diseases, with the exception of systemic sclerosis (SSc). This review has informed methodology for the development of a disease damage index in SSc.

Relationship between endothelial dysfunction, videocapillaroscopy and circulating CD3+CD31+CXCR4+ lymphocytes in systemic lupus erythematosus without cardiovascular risk factors

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this paper is to analyse whether digital capillary morphology, analysed by nailfold videocapillaroscopy (NVC), and the number of circulating CD3 + CD31 + CXCR4 + lymphocytes (angiogenic T cells) could be markers of endothelial dysfunction (ED) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) without cardiovascular disease (CVD) and CV risk factors.

METHODS

Nineteen consecutive SLE patients, according to Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics Classification Criteria, with a disease duration less than five years, low disease activity, without CVD and CV risk factors (diabetes, chronic renal disease, uncontrolled systemic arterial hypertension, smoking, hypercholesterolemia, obesity), statin or beta-blocker use were enrolled. Each patient and sex- and age-matched healthy control (HC) underwent Doppler echocardiogram, an endothelial function study by peripheral arterial tonometry technique, NVC and peripheral blood immunophenotyping.

RESULTS

SLE ED+ more frequently showed NVC abnormalities compared with HCs ( p < 0.0001) in terms of minor alterations ( p = 0.017), lower capillary numbers ( p = 0.0035) and major alterations. SLE ED + showed a higher rate of CD3 + CD31 + CXCR4 + lymphocytes compared with SLE ED- and with HCs. NVC + SLE showed a significantly reduced rate of total CD3 + cells, but a higher rate and absolute number of CD3 + CD31 + CXCR4 + , compared with NVC- SLE.

CONCLUSION

NVC alterations are frequent in SLE without any CV risk factors and CVD. They are associated with ED and increased circulating CD3 + CD31 + CXCR4 + lymphocytes. These findings demonstrate a clear microvascular perturbation in patients with short disease duration, low disease activity and no CV risk factors.

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.

Urinary B-cell-activating factor of the tumour necrosis factor family (BAFF) in systemic lupus erythematosus

INTRODUCTION

We examined the clinical relevance of urinary concentrations of B-cell-activating factor of the tumour necrosis factor family (BAFF) and a proliferation-inducing ligand (APRIL) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

METHODS

We quantified urinary BAFF (uBAFF) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 85 SLE, 28 primary Sjögren syndrome (pSS), 40 immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) patients and 36 healthy controls (HCs). Urinary APRIL (uAPRIL) and monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (uMCP-1) were also quantified. Overall and renal SLE disease activity were assessed using the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index 2000.

RESULTS

uBAFF was detected in 12% (10/85) of SLE patients, but was undetectable in HCs, IgAN and pSS patients. uBAFF was detectable in 28% (5/18) of SLE patients with active nephritis vs 5/67 (7%) of those without ( p = 0.03), and uBAFF was significantly higher in active renal patients ( p = 0.02) and more likely to be detected in patients with persistently active renal disease. In comparison, uAPRIL and uMCP-1 were detected in 32% (25/77) and 46% (22/48) of SLE patients, respectively. While no difference in proportion of samples with detectable uAPRIL was observed between SLE, HCs and IgAN patients, both uAPRIL and uMCP-1 were significantly detectable in higher proportions of patients with active renal disease.

CONCLUSIONS

uBAFF was detectable in a small but a significant proportion of SLE patients but not in other groups tested, and was higher in SLE patients with active renal disease.

Relationship between damage and mortality in juvenile-onset systemic lupus erythematosus: Cluster analyses in a large cohort from the Spanish Society of Rheumatology Lupus Registry (RELESSER)

OBJECTIVES

To identify patterns (clusters) of damage manifestation within a large cohort of juvenile SLE (jSLE) patients and evaluate their possible association with mortality.

METHODS

This is a multicentre, descriptive, cross-sectional study of a cohort of 345 jSLE patients from the Spanish Society of Rheumatology Lupus Registry. Organ damage was ascertained using the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics Damage Index. Using cluster analysis, groups of patients with similar patterns of damage manifestation were identified and compared.

RESULTS

Mean age (years) ± S.D. at diagnosis was 14.2 ± 2.89; 88.7% were female and 93.4% were Caucasian. Mean SLICC/ACR DI ± S.D. was 1.27 ± 1.63. A total of 12 (3.5%) patients died. Three damage clusters were identified: Cluster 1 (72.7% of patients) presented a lower number of individuals with damage (22.3% vs. 100% in Clusters 2 and 3, P < 0.001); Cluster 2 (14.5% of patients) was characterized by renal damage in 60% of patients, significantly more than Clusters 1 and 3 (P < 0.001), in addition to increased more ocular, cardiovascular and gonadal damage; Cluster 3 (12.7%) was the only group with musculoskeletal damage (100%), significantly higher than in Clusters 1 and 2 (P < 0.001). The overall mortality rate in Cluster 2 was 2.2 times higher than that in Cluster 3 and 5 times higher than that in Cluster 1 (P < 0.017 for both comparisons).

CONCLUSIONS

In a large cohort of jSLE patients, renal and musculoskeletal damage manifestations were the two dominant forms of damage by which patients were sorted into clinically meaningful clusters. We found two clusters of jSLE with important clinical damage that were associated with higher rates of mortality, especially for the cluster of patients with predominant renal damage. Physicians should be particularly vigilant to the early prevention of damage in this subset of jSLE patients with kidney involvement.

Measuring Disease Activity and Damage with Validated Metrics: A Systematic Review on Mortality and Damage in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Objective.

To identify the effect of disease activity and damage, measured by validated indices, on mortality and damage accrual, in order to inform upcoming Canadian systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) recommendations.

Methods.

Following GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) methodology to fill in evidence-to-decision tables to create recommendations for “minimal investigations needed to monitor SLE patients at baseline and subsequent visits,” a systematic literature review was performed. The effect of disease activity and damage, measured by validated metrics, on mortality and damage was systematically reviewed, with metaanalyses performed when available.

Results.

A title/abstract screen of 5599 articles identified 816 articles for full paper review, with 102 meeting inclusion criteria and 53 with extractable data. Thirty-three articles describing outcomes related to disease activity and 20 articles related to damage were identified. Mortality was associated with higher SLE Disease Activity Index-2000 scores in 6 studies (HR 1.14, 95% CI 1.06–1.22) and higher Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/ACR Damage Index scores in 6 studies (HR 1.53, 95% CI 1.28–1.83). Higher SLE Activity Measure scores were associated with increased risk of damage in 3 studies (OR 1.06, 95% CI 1.04–1.08). British Isles Lupus Assessment Group was associated with mortality in 1 study with HR of 1.15.

Conclusion.

Active SLE disease and damage are associated with and predict greater mortality and damage. The use of validated disease activity and damage metrics is important in the assessment of disease activity and damage and will inform upcoming Canadian recommendations for the assessment of SLE.

Description of Malignancy Rates in Childhood- and Adult-Onset Systemic Lupus Erythematous by Proportional Meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

Describe malignancy rates in childhood onset and adult onset systemic lupus erythematous (SLE) by proportional meta-analysis.

METHODS

Two reviewers screened data from PubMed (1966-2015), EMBASE (1980-2015), and LILACS (1982-2015) for SLE-associated malignancy. Proportional meta-analysis with a random-effects model and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated according to SLE onset age and mean follow-up time. Statistical difference was defined by 95% CI overlap.

RESULTS

Overall the malignancy rate reported in 30 case series with 96,578 subjects was 3.4% (95% CI, 0.0260-0.0442; I = 97.6%; P < 0.0001). The malignancy rate was 4.2% (95% CI, 0.0318-0.0531; I = 98%; P < 0.0001) in 25 adult-onset SLE series, compared with 0.5% (95% CI, 0.0003-0.0154; I = 62.6%; P = 0.03) in 5 childhood-onset SLE series. Overall, in those with less than 5 years' follow-up, the malignancy rate was 2.8% (95% CI, 0.013-0.047; I = 91%; P < 0.0001) compared with 3.6% (95% CI, 0.0226-0.0531; I = 98.3%; P < 0.0001) in those with more than 5 years' follow-up, which was not significant, with 95% CI overlap.

CONCLUSIONS

The meta-analysis indicated lower malignancy rates in pediatric-onset SLE compared with adult-onset SLE, but accrued data from childhood-onset SLE are still needed.

IFN-λ1 with Th17 axis cytokines and IFN-α define different subsets in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)

BACKGROUND

Interferon (IFN)-α is thought to have a pivotal role in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and type III IFNs (IFN-λ) were recently also associated with SLE. In this study, we measured levels of IFN-α, IFN-λ1, and related cytokines, such as IL-17A, IL-23, and interferon-γ-induced protein 10 (IP-10), in a Karolinska University Hospital cohort of patients with SLE and control subjects. The objective of the study was to investigate if cytokine measurements could identify different subsets of patients with active SLE and higher disease damage.

METHODS

We included 261 patients with SLE and 261 population control subjects. All participants underwent a standardized clinical examination. Medical files were reviewed. Patients with SLE were assessed for current organ manifestations, disease activity, and damage. Routine blood parameters, complement levels, and serology were analyzed at the time of inclusion. Levels of IFN-λ1, IFN-α, IL-17A, IL-23, and IP-10 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

RESULTS

IFN-λ1 and IFN-α were detected in 29% and 44% of patients, respectively, but their levels did not correlate. High serum levels of IFN-λ1 were positively associated with antinucleosome antibodies and lymphopenia but negatively with musculoskeletal damage. Positive correlations between levels of IFN-λ1, IL-17A, and IL-23 were observed. Patients with high levels of these three cytokines had more disease damage, especially renal impairment. High levels of IFN-α were associated with mucocutaneous disease; leukopenia; and low complement, Ro/SSA, and La/SSB. Vascular events and antiphospholipid antibodies were uncommon. We identified two subgroups with high disease activity: one with double-high IFN-λ1 and IFN-α and another with IP-10high. The former had more neuropsychiatric manifestations, and the latter had more arthritis. Increased levels of both types I and III IFNs were found in a proportion of population control subjects. Therefore, high IFN levels do not seem to be SLE-specific biomarkers.

CONCLUSIONS

Measurements of circulating IFN-λ1 and IFN-α define subsets of patients with SLE with different characteristics. Levels of IFN-λ1 correlate with T-helper type 17 cytokines and identify a subgroup with more damage. High disease activity is associated with either simultaneous upregulation of IFN-λ1 and IFN-α or independently with IP-10. Our findings could be of major importance when tailoring therapy for patients with SLE with agents targeting IFN pathways.

Epidemiology of systemic lupus erythematosus

INTRODUCTION

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a disease distributed worldwide, which occurs in both genders, and across racial/ethnic and age groups; however, higher rates are observed in adults, in women and in non-Caucasians. Genetic, environmental, sociodemographic and methodological issues are responsible not only for these differences but for the variable course and outcome of the disease. Non-Caucasians have a more severe disease with a higher risk for early mortality and damage accrual. Males also have a more severe disease; however, a negative impact of male gender on lupus outcomes has not been firmly established. Childhood-onset is associated with a more severe disease; moreover, it is also associated with higher damage and diminished survival; finally, late-onset lupus is mild but it is associated with higher damage accrual and a diminished survival. Areas covered: In this review, we discuss the incidence and prevalence of SLE, the impact of age, gender and race/ethnicity in SLE and in the survival of those affected. Expert commentary: Age, gender and race/ethnicity impact disease expression in SLE patients; despite improvements in survival, mortality in SLE remains almost three times higher than in the general population.

Voice disorder in systemic lupus erythematosus

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic disease characterized by progressive tissue damage. In recent decades, novel treatments have greatly extended the life span of SLE patients. This creates a high demand for identifying the overarching symptoms associated with SLE and developing therapies that improve their life quality under chronic care. We hypothesized that SLE patients would present dysphonic symptoms. Given that voice disorders can reduce life quality, identifying a potential SLE-related dysphonia could be relevant for the appraisal and management of this disease. We measured objective vocal parameters and perceived vocal quality with the GRBAS (Grade, Roughness, Breathiness, Asthenia, Strain) scale in SLE patients and compared them to matched healthy controls. SLE patients also filled a questionnaire reporting perceived vocal deficits. SLE patients had significantly lower vocal intensity and harmonics to noise ratio, as well as increased jitter and shimmer. All subjective parameters of the GRBAS scale were significantly abnormal in SLE patients. Additionally, the vast majority of SLE patients (29/36) reported at least one perceived vocal deficit, with the most prevalent deficits being vocal fatigue (19/36) and hoarseness (17/36). Self-reported voice deficits were highly correlated with altered GRBAS scores. Additionally, tissue damage scores in different organ systems correlated with dysphonic symptoms, suggesting that some features of SLE-related dysphonia are due to tissue damage. Our results show that a large fraction of SLE patients suffers from perceivable dysphonia and may benefit from voice therapy in order to improve quality of life.

Improved strategies for designing lupus trials with targeted therapies: learning from 65 years of experience

The development of new agents to manage lupus erythematosus has lagged behind other autoimmune rheumatic diseases. This is in large part because lupus is a heterogeneous disorder affecting nine principal domains (organ systems) that are difficult to measure and quantify and can be at variance with each other. Over the last two decades, a variety of guidelines, definitions, candidate surrogate or biomarkers, metrics and composite indices have been presented as benchmarks that can be utilized to assess lupus in clinical trials. Despite this, over 20 agents have failed to achieve their primary outcome measure, some of which are generally believed to be clinically effective. This article presents constructive suggestions and improved strategies in trial design that will hopefully lead to the introduction of new agents for the disease.

Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics and Preliminary Observations for Clinical Activity and Safety of Multiple Doses of Human Mouse Chimeric Anti-CD22 Monoclonal Antibody (SM03) in Chinese Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

SM03 is a novel recombinant, human/mouse chimeric immunoglobulin G1 monoclonal antibody directed against the CD22 antigen on human B lymphocytes. This was the first study to investigate the pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, immunogenicity, safety and clinical activity of SM03 in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

METHODS

This study was an open, multiple-centre, parallel-group, multiple-ascending-dose, phase I study in 29 SLE patients. Pharmacokinetic assessment was conducted in 22 of these patients. Eligible patients received multiple intravenous infusions of SM03 for 4 weeks (240 mg/m², 600 or 900 mg, once weekly) and were monitored over an 84-day observation period for pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, immunogenicity, safety and clinical response.

RESULTS

After multiple-dose SM03, the maximal serum concentration of SM03 was reached within 3-7 h. The mean elimination half-life was 15 days. The average accumulation ratios of the area under the time-concentration curve and the maximum concentration after the fourth administration of SM03 were 2.0 and 1.5. CD19⁺ B-lymphocyte counts were decreased. Infections were the most common adverse events. No drug-related serious adverse events were reported. The therapeutic benefit of SM03 was observed mainly in patients with moderate-to-severe disease activity.

CONCLUSION

Pharmacokinetic exposure increased in a lower-than-dose-proportional manner up to 900 mg. SM03 was well tolerated at doses ranging from 240 mg/m² to 900 mg, with no new safety signals identified. SM03 has potential efficacy in Chinese patients with SLE.

Severe disease presentation and poor outcomes among pediatric systemic lupus erythematosus patients in South Africa

Background Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a life-threatening multisystem autoimmune disease that is more severe in patients of African ancestry and children, yet pediatric SLE on the African continent has been understudied. This study describes a cohort of pediatric SLE (PULSE) patients in South Africa. Methods Patients with a diagnosis of SLE (1997 American College of Rheumatology criteria) diagnosed prior to age 19 years in Cape Town, South Africa, were enrolled in this cross-sectional study from September 2013 to December 2014. Information on clinical and serological characteristics was extracted from medical records. Results were compared to a well-described North American pediatric SLE cohort. Results Seventy-two South African patients were enrolled in the study; mean age 11.5 years; 82% were girls. The racial distribution was 68% Coloured, 24% Black, 5% White and 3% Asian/Indian. Most patients presented with severe lupus nephritis documented by renal biopsy (61%). Of patients with lupus nephritis, 63% presented with International Society of Nephrology/Renal Pathology Society class III or IV. Patients in the PULSE cohort were more likely to be treated with cyclophosphamide, methotrexate and azathioprine. The PULSE cohort had high disease activity at diagnosis (mean Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index-2K (SLEDAI-2K) 20.6). The SLEDAI-2K at enrolment in the PULSE cohort (5.0) did not differ from the North American pediatric SLE cohort (4.8). Sixty-three per cent of the PULSE cohort had end organ damage with Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics Damage Index (SLICC-DI) score >0 (mean SLICC-DI 1.9), compared to 23% in a previously reported US cohort. Within the PULSE cohort, nine (13%) developed end-stage renal disease with six (8%) requiring transplant, strikingly higher than North American peers (transplant rate <1%). Conclusions The PULSE cohort had highly active multiorgan disease at diagnosis and significant disease damage at enrolment in the South African registry. South African patients have severe lupus nephritis and poor renal outcomes compared to North American peers. Our study revealed a severe disease phenotype in the PULSE cohort resulting in poor outcomes in this high-risk population.

Antiphospholipid antibodies predict early damage in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

The aim of this study was to determine whether the different autoantibodies predict early damage in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The patients comprised a prospective inception cohort of 205 patients with SLE, 154 on follow-up for at least five years after diagnosis. Eight patients who died before the fifth year of disease course were included in analyses comprising survival. Organ damage was measured using the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics - American College of Rheumatology damage index (SDI). Endpoints were the development of some (SDI ≥1) or severe (SDI > 2) damage at five years after diagnosis or the combined outcome ‘SDI ≥1 or death at five years’. Autoantibodies [anti-DNA, anti-Ro, anti-La, anti-Sm, anti-U1 RNP, any anti-ENA and antiphospholipid (aPL)] were included in univariate and multivariate analysis. ‘Age at diagnosis’ was also included as an independent variable in multivariant analyses. Sapporo criteria were used to define aPL positivity. Eighty-four patients (54.5%) had accrued damage at five years, 17 patients (11.0%) having severe damage. Patients with aPL had damage in a higher proportion (63.2% any damage, 17.6% severe damage). Only aPL were related to damage in univariate analysis ( P = 0.03). In logistic regression models, aPL were the only independent predictors of damage at five years (OR 1.94, 95% CI 1.01-3.73), severe damage at five years (OR 3.34, 95% CI 1.11-10.03) and increasing damage since diagnosis (OR 2.46, 95% CI 1.24-4.87). No autoantibody was a predictor of the outcome ‘SDI ≥1 or death at five years’. The conclusion was that aPL predict early damage in patients with SLE.

Estimation of glomerular filtration rate in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

The objective of this study was to compare the limit of agreement of creatinine clearance (CrCl) estimated by different equations with the CrCl measured by 24-hour urine collection in Hong Kong Chinese patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Forty-three SLE patients with mild to moderate renal impairment (serum creatinine concentration 80 mol/L to 300 mol/L for females; and 106 mol/L to 300 mol/L for males) and not requiring renal replacement therapy were assessed. The estimated clearances were calculated by the Cockcroft-Gault (CG) equation, the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) study equation and the abbreviated MDRD (aMDRD) study equation. The estimated clearances were compared against the measured CrCl by 24- hour urine collection for their limit of agreement. Forty-three patients with mean (SD) age of 41.6 (8.4) years were assessed. As compared to the measured CrCl in patients with SLE, the clearances by CG equation, MDRD and aMDRD equations predicted a mean difference of 0.8% (95% confidence interval, 43.9-42.3%); 8.6% (95% CI, 24.3-7.2%) and 4.7% (95% CI, 21.4-12%), respectively. There is a tendency for the MDRD and aMDRD study equations to underestimate CrCl. The MDRD and aMDRD study equations have better predictive value than the CG equation.