Rheumatology

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Efficacy and safety of infliximab in active SLE: A pilot study
Lupus, 06/15/09

Uppal SS et al. - Study reports that due to several improvements in several systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) parameters and good safety profile of infliximab, anti-TNF-α therapy is an interesting candidate approach for treating SLE.

• An assessment of the safety and efficacy of TNF blockade in SLE pts (n=27; 19 healthy individuals)
• 9 pts with SLE were allocated to treatment arm and 18 to control arm:
  • Control arm: received conventional treatment
  • Treatment arm: also received infliximab infusions 3 mg/kg body wt at 0, 2, 6 wks and then q 8 wks for a total of 24 wks; total 5 doses
• Pts were closely monitored for infection
• SF-36, PGA of disease activity, SLEDAI, and SLICC/ACR-DI were measured at baseline and end of the study
• Immunological studies: serum levels of TNF-α and sTNF-α receptors, C3 and C4 complement levels, anti-dsDNA Ab titres, anti-cardiolipin titres, and anti-β2GPI Ab titres

• 4 pts from treatment arm dropped out due to infliximab infusion reaction and 12 from the control arm
• Treatment group showed greater improvement in SLEDAI
• Improvements in several SF-36 subscales, PGA and VAS-Fatigue were also greater in the treatment group, but not significant
• Mean levels of TNF-α, and soluble TNF receptors were higher in the SLE group vs healthy controls but did not change over the study period

Today in Clinical Pharmacology...keeping you current

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Today in Systemic Lupus (SLE)...keeping you current

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ITGAM coding variant (rs1143679) influences the risk of renal disease, discoid rash, and immunologic manifestations in lupus patients with European ancestry
Annals of Rheumatic Diseases, 12/08/09

Sleep disturbance in lupus patients
International Journal of Clinical Rheumatology, 12/07/09

Polymorphisms in the DNA repair gene XRCC1 and associations with systemic lupus erythematosus risk in the Taiwanese Han Chinese population
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