Association of the lupus low disease activity state (LLDAS) with health-related quality of life in a multinational prospective study.

Background: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is associated with significant impairment of health-related quality of life (HR-QoL). Recently, meeting a definition of a lupus low disease activity state (LLDAS), analogous to low disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis, was preliminarily validated as associated with protection from damage accrual. The LLDAS definition has not been previously evaluated for association with patient-reported outcomes.

Does expert opinion match the operational definition of the Lupus Low Disease Activity State (LLDAS)? A case-based construct validity study.

Objective: To evaluate the construct validity of the Lupus Low Disease Activity State (LLDAS), a treatment target in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Methods: Fifty SLE case summaries based on real patients were prepared and assessed independently for meeting the operational definition of LLDAS. Fifty international rheumatologists with expertise in SLE, but with no prior involvement in the LLDAS project, responded to a survey in which they were asked to categorize the disease activity state of each case as remission, low, moderate, or high.

Frequency and predictors of the lupus low disease activity state in a multi-national and multi-ethnic cohort.

Background: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic heterogeneous disease with considerable burden from disease activity and damage. A novel clinical treatment target in the form of the lupus low disease activity state (LLDAS) has been recently reported, with retrospective validation showing that time spent in LLDAS translates to reduced damage accrual. The objectives of this study were to describe the frequency and identify the predictors of attaining LLDAS in a large multinational cohort of patients with SLE.

Definition and initial validation of a Lupus Low Disease Activity State (LLDAS).

Aims: Treating to low disease activity is routine in rheumatoid arthritis, but no comparable goal has been defined for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We sought to define and validate a Lupus Low Disease Activity State (LLDAS).

Methods: A consensus definition of LLDAS was generated using Delphi and nominal group techniques.

The need to define treatment goals for systemic lupus erythematosus.

In the current therapeutic climate, mortality rates from systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) remain unacceptably high. Although new therapies are on the horizon, pending their emergence and availability, optimization of the currently available therapies is potentially achievable. A 'treat-to-target' approach is now considered routine for many diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, for which it has substantially improved patient outcomes.