Top lupus Articles in Rheumatology

Developments in the clinical understanding of lupus
Arthritis Research & Therapy, 10/29/2009

Crow MK – Advances in genetics and new understanding of the molecular pathways that mediate innate and adaptive immune system activation, along with renewed focus on the role of the complement system as a mediator of inflammation, have ... pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus. Progress in understanding the underlying immunopathogenesis of lupus and its impact on clinical disease has accelerated the pace of clinical research to improve the outcomes of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. [more...]

Simultaneous herpes simplex virus esophagitis and lupus enteritis in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus
Modern Rheumatology, 10/23/2009

Wakui H et al. – The authors present a 52–year–old woman with a 6–year history of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) developed acute abdominal pain, nausea ... hypocomplementemia. This is the first case of simultaneous HSV esophagitis and lupus enteritis. [more...]

Safety of vaccination of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus
Lupus, 11/04/2009

Abu–Shakra M – Vaccines may trigger the generation of autoantibodies which is usually short term and has no clinical significance. In individual cases vaccines exacerbate systemic lupus erythematosus; however, no specific ... identified to be associated with flare of systemic lupus erythematosus following vaccination. [more...]

Correlation of ESR, C3, C4, anti-DNA and lupus activity based on British Isles Lupus Assessment Group Index in patients of rheumatology clinic
Rheumatology International, 10/09/2009

Nasiri AS et al. – This study aimed to determine the correlation between of ESR, C3, C4, anti-DNA, and lupus activity and also the construct and criterion validity of the British Isles Lupus ... Assessment Group (BILAG) index for assessing disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).The findings show that the ESR, C3, C4, and anti-DNA should be used in the evaluation and management of patients with SLE. Also the results show that the BILAG index has construct validity. Data analyzed for estimating of SLE disease activity [scores on the BILAG index and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index 2000 (SLEDAI-2K)] Overall BILAG scores determined by highest score achieved in any of the individual systems in respective index Results Increasing overall scores on the BILAG index associated with increasing ESRs, decreasing C3 levels, decreasing C4 levels, elevated anti-dsDNA levels, and increasing SLEDAI-2K scores [more...]

Mycophenolate mofetil and intravenous cyclophosphamide are similar as induction therapy for class V lupus nephritis
Kidney International, 11/05/2009

Radhakrishnan J et al. – The authors found that the response to mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) as induction treatment of patients with class V lupus nephritis (LN) appears to be no different from that to intravenous ... pharmacology,glomerular/tubular dz,systemic lupus (sle),pharmacology/kinetics,nephrology [more...]

Infection—genetics relationship in systemic lupus erythematosus
Lupus, 11/05/2009

Sebastiani GD – Evidence has been emerging suggesting that the production of autoantibodies, by infected B–lymphocytes, may be drawn by altered expression of particular microRNA in these cells. In this paper, the authors ... can account for the role of infectious agents, acting on a genetically prone host, in determining systemic lupus erythematosus. [more...]

Vaccination, atherosclerosis and systemic lupus erythematosus
Lupus, 11/05/2009

Carvalho JF et al. – In non–systemic lupus erythematosus populations, vaccines against oxidized low–density lipoprotein, beta–2–glycoprotein I, heat shock proteins, lipoproteins, cholesterol, molecules ... receptor, and interleukin–2) have been tested, with promising results. However, there are no studies of vaccination against atherosclerosis in systemic lupus erythematosus. [more...]

Lupus linked to heart disease
Reuters, 10/30/2009

People with systemic lupus erythematosus have a more than twofold increased risk of cardiovascular disease, according to a new study. Lupus is a chronic "autoimmune" disease in which the immune system confuses its own healthy tissues with foreign tissues and sometimes [more...]

Neuropsychiatric Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Presenting as Bipolar I Disorder With Catatonic Features
Psychosomatics, 10/29/2009

Alao AO et al. – Given the especially high prevalence of NPSLE in pediatric patients with lupus, it is important for clinicians to recognize that neuropsychiatric symptoms in an adolescent ... initial manifestations of SLE, as opposed to a primary affective disorder. [more...]

Cigarette Smoking and Cutaneous Damage in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Journal of Rheumatology, 11/06/2009

Turchin I et al. – Current cigarette smoking may be associated with cutaneous damage and active lupus rash in SLE, suggesting another reason to emphasize smoking cessation in patients with SLE. [more...]