The Impact of Belimumab and Rituximab on Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

Objective: Accumulating evidence supports an impaired health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We investigated the effects of 2 biologic treatments on HRQoL of patients with SLE.

Methods: Patients with SLE from the Karolinska University Hospital treated with belimumab (n = 34) or rituximab (n = 35) were included; normative values derived from Swedish population-based controls matched for age and sex were used for the purpose of comparisons.