Introduction
Highlights of the American College of Rheumatology 2010 Annual Scientific Meeting
The Latest Treatment Advances for Lupus
Treatment May Prevent Neonatal Lupus
The Brain and Lupus: 2010 Update
Risk of Some Cancers Double in Lupus
Assessing the Cost of Lupus
From the Lab to the Clinic: Lessons Learned About Lupus
ALR-Supported Research Focus of Plenary Session
Treatment May Help Prevent Neonatal Lupus
Exciting news for women at risk of delivering a child with neonatal lupus. A study presented at the ACR meeting found that women who took hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil®) during their pregnancy reduced their risk of having a child with the cardiac form of the disease by 75% and the risk of any form of the disease (cardiac or cutaneous) by 44%.xvi
The study assessed the outcomes of 24 pregnancies in 22 women, 9 of whom had lupus and most of whom had who had anti-SSA/Ro antibodies, a major risk factor for neonatal lupus. These women had all had a child with either cardiac or cutaneous neonatal lupus, which increased their risk of having another child with the disease tenfold. The women took hydroxychloroquine 6 weeks before getting pregnant and throughout their pregnancy. While the expected rate of having another baby with cardiac neonatal lupus was about 17.2% in women who had given birth to a child with the disease, and 13% in women who had given birth to a child with cutaneous neonatal lupus, just one baby was born with cardiac neonatal disease (to a woman who had previously delivered a baby with cutaneous neonatal lupus), for a recurrence/occurrence rate of just 4.2%.
Key point: Using hydroxychloroquine before and during your pregnancy may reduce the risk of delivering a baby with cardiac neonatal lupus (which can be fatal for the baby).
More information about lupus and treatment advances can be found by visiting www.lupusresearch.org.
The 2010 American College of Rheumatology Meeting Special Report was made possible in part by generous support from Biogen Idec, Genentech and Johnson & Johnson.
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iii Merrill JT, et al. Five-Year Experience with Belimumab, a BLyS-Specific Inhibitor, in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE).
iv Vollenhoven RF, et al. Belimumab, a BLyS-Specific Inhibitor, Reduced Corticosteroid Use in Patients with Active SLE: Results from the Phase 3 BLISS-52 and -76 Studies.
v Petri MA, et al. Belimumab, a BLyS-Specific Inhibitor, Reduced Disease Activity, Flares, and Prednisone Use in Patients with Seropositive SLE: Combined Efficacy Results from the Phase 3 BLISS-52 and -76 Studies.
vi Chatham WW. Effect of Belimumab, a B-Lymphocyte Stimulator–Specific Inhibitor, on Functional Antibodies to Pneumococcal, Tetanus, and Influenza Vaccines.
vii Stohl W. Belimumab, a BLyS-Specific Inhibitor, Significantly Reduced Autoantibodies, Normalized Low Complement, and Reduced Selected B-Cell Populations in Patients with Seropositive Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE): The Phase 3 BLISS Studies.
viii Wallace DJ, et al. Epratuzumab Demonstrates Clinically Meaningful Improvements in Patients with Moderate to Severe Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE): Results from EMBLEM™, a Phase IIb Study.
ix Kalunian KC, et al. BILAG-Measured Improvement in Moderately and Severely Affected Body Systems in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) by Epratuzumab: Results from EMBLEM™, a Phase IIb Study.
x Sullivan BA, et al. A Flow Cytometric Receptor Occupancy Assay Demonstrates Dose-Dependent Blockade of B7RP-1 by AMG 557 on Circulating B Cells from SLE Subjects.
xi Fleischmann RM. Evidence of Peripheral B Cell Depletion in Subjects with Controlled Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) Following Subcutaneous Administration of SBI-087.
xii Salwsky KA, et al. A Systematic Literature Review of the Direct Costs of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) in the United States (US).
xiii McBurney CA. Platelet C4d Is Associated with All-Cause Mortality in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.
xiv Bernatsky SR, et al. Further Defining Cancer Risk in Systemic Lupus: Updated Results in an Expanded International Multi-Centre Cohort
xv Hanly JG, Urowitz MB, Sanchez-Guerrero J, et al. Neuropsychiatric events at the time of diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus: an international inception cohort study. Arthritis Rheum. 2007;56(1):265-73.
xvi Izmirly PM, et al. Hydroxychloroquine and Prevention of Anti-SSA/Ro Associated Cardiac Disease in Mothers with a Previous Child with Neonatal Lupus
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