Arthritis & Rheumatology Archives

Tag: Arthritis & Rheumatology

New CDC Study Estimates 204,295 Americans Have Lupus

January 29, 2021 According to a new analysis funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 204,295 Americans have systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), based on strict criteria for diagnosis by the American College of Rheumatology. These data, however, do not include cutaneous lupus. Based on an analysis of five studies, the national estimate […] Read More

Low-Dose Chemotherapy May Help Lupus Nephritis

February 22, 2021 In a recent study published in Arthritis & Rheumatology, LRA-funded researcher Dr. Xian Zhang found that a low dose of the chemotherapy drug topotecan reduced the inflammation and kidney damage of lupus nephritis in mice with lupus. Topotecan was as effective as high doses of cyclophosphamide, another chemotherapy that’s currently used to […] Read More

Unvaccinated People with Lupus on Medicaid More Likely to Need Hospital Care

May 11, 2021 A new study published in Arthritis & Rheumatology by researchers at Harvard University and Brigham and Women’s Hospital showed low rates of vaccinations among people with lupus covered by Medicaid for illnesses like flu, pneumonia, herpes that could be prevented with vaccines. Of 45,654 Medicaid beneficiaries with SLE, less than 10% had […] Read More

New Guidelines from the ACR For Lupus Care During COVID-19 Pandemic

June 9, 2020 The American College of Rheumatology enlisted 14 experts on infectious diseases and immune system illnesses to develop and publish 25 recommendations on treating lupus and related immune system diseases amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The Lupus Research Alliance would like to share these with the lupus community as information, but recommend talking to […] Read More

Research Shows Benefit to Starting Belimumab Sooner Rather Than Later

April 16, 2020 Treating people with lupus earlier with belimumab (Benlysta) may work better than as a last option according to a study just published in the well-respected journal Arthritis & Rheumatology Researchers in Italy analyzed data from 466 people with lupus at 24 centers in Italy who were receiving belimumab intravenously. They looked at […] Read More

Lupus Has Nerve Shows Large International Study

January 6, 2020 New research published in Arthritis and Rheumatology shows that peripheral nervous system (PNS) disease is an important part of neuropsychiatric lupus with significant effects on quality of life. The peripheral nervous system is the network that sends signals between the brain and spinal cord (the central nervous system) with all the other […] Read More

Rituximab Effective for Maintenance Lupus Treatment Shows Study

June 13, 2019 A study published in Arthritis & Rheumatology found that rituximab was helpful as a maintenance therapy for tough-to-treat lupus patients. Maintenance treatment refers to one designed to help a main treatment work. Rituximab is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for two types of cancer. It is sold by the […] Read More

Better Lupus Care Reducing Deaths from Lupus Nephritis, Study Shows

April 22, 2019 Results of a study published in Arthritis & Rheumatology shows that end-stage renal disease and mortality due to lupus nephritis is down from 2010-2014. Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital at Harvard Medical School extended an analysis done in 1995 through 2006. Using the national registry of patients […] Read More

Patients with Lupus Nephritis-Related Kidney Disease Are Living Longer

March 28, 2019 A new study published this March in Arthritis & Rheumatology found that deaths among patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) due to lupus nephritis (LN) fell significantly — by 32% —over the past two decades. The study took into account deaths from all causes, including deaths from cardiovascular disease (CVD) and infection. […] Read More