Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Score Remission and Low Disease Activity States Discriminate Drug From Placebo and Better Health-Related Quality of Life.

Objective: Our objective was to evaluate the ability of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Score (SLE-DAS) remission and low disease activity (LDA) to discriminate active drug from placebo and to discriminate outcomes in the patients' perspective (health-related quality of life [HR-QoL]) in SLE trials.

Methods: This was a post hoc analysis of the pooled Belimumab in Subjects With SLE (BLISS)-52 (NCT00424476) and BLISS-76 (NCT00410384) trials data. SLE-DAS remission and LDA attainment and discrimination between belimumab and placebo at 52 weeks were compared using chi-square tests.

EULAR recommendations for the management of systemic lupus erythematosus: 2023 update.

Objectives: To update the EULAR recommendations for the management of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) based on emerging new evidence.

Methods: An international Task Force formed the questions for the systematic literature reviews (January 2018-December 2022), followed by formulation and finalisation of the statements after a series of meetings. A predefined voting process was applied to each overarching principle and recommendation.

What is the best instrument to measure disease activity in SLE? - SLE-DAS vs Easy BILAG.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a heterogeneous condition making assessment of disease activity challenging. However, thorough assessment is essential to evaluate patients longitudinally, to guide therapeutic decisions, and for clinical trials. Currently, the most popular disease activity index in clinical practice and trials is SLEDAI-2K.

The SLE-DAS provides an accurate and feasible flare tool in the clinical setting: a validation study.

Objective: To assess the criterion validity of the SLE disease activity score (SLE-DAS) flare tool and compare its performance in identifying flares against other instruments.

Methods: Patients with SLE fulfilling SLE-DAS low disease activity at baseline were included from two academic lupus clinics. During follow-up, flares were identified by the senior attending clinician, applying the expert-consensus-based definition as gold-standard.

Does remission in systemic lupus erythematosus according to the 2021 DORIS definition match the treating rheumatologist's judgement?

Objectives: To assess agreement between the 2021 Definition Of Remission In SLE (DORIS) and physician-judged lupus activity.

Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted of data from a Spanish prospective multicentre study of SLE patients. We applied the 2021 DORIS criteria and assessed whether remission status based on this definition agreed with remission as per physician clinical judgement and reasons for disagreement between them.

Predictors of flare in SLE patients fulfilling lupus low disease activity state: a cohort study of 292 patients with 36-month follow-up.

Objectives: The treatment target in SLE should be maintained stable by preventing flares. The objectives were to identify predictors of flare in patients attaining lupus low disease activity state (LLDAS), and to assess whether remission with no glucocorticoids is associated with lower risk of flares.

Methods: This was a cohort study of SLE patients followed in a referral centre over 3 years.

Creation and Validation of the European Portuguese Version of the Systemic Lupus Erythematous Quality of Life Questionnaire.

(1) Background: Patients with systemic lupus erythematous (SLE) experience profound effects on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) that cannot be explained by objective indicators of mortality and morbidity. This study aimed to adapt the SLE Quality of Life (SLEQoL) questionnaire to the European Portuguese population and to assess its reliability and validity for patients with SLE. (2) Methods: Two independent translators translated the original version of the SLEQoL questionnaire into Portuguese.

Portuguese recommendations for the use of biological and targeted synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs in patients with rheumatoid arthritis - 2020 update.

Objective: To update the recommendations for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with biological and targeted synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs and tsDMARDs), endorsed by the Portuguese Society of Rheumatology (SPR).

Methods: These treatment recommendations were formulated by Portuguese rheumatologists taking into account previous recommendations, new literature evidence and consensus opinion. At a national meeting, in a virtual format, three of the ten previous recommendations were re-addressed and discussed after a more focused literature review.

Definition of low disease activity state based on the SLE-DAS: derivation and validation in a multicentre real-life cohort.

Objectives: To derive and validate a definition of low disease activity (LDA) for SLE based on the SLE Disease Activity Score (SLE-DAS), in a real-life multicentre cohort of SLE patients.

Methods: Derivation was conducted using data from a monocentric cohort of SLE (Portugal), and validation was performed in a multicentre cohort (Italy, France and Spain). The Lupus Low Disease Activity State (LLDAS) was used as comparator.

Antimalarial treatment and minimizing prednisolone are associated with lower risk of infection in SLE: a 24-month prospective cohort study.

Introduction/objectives: Infections are a major cause of morbidity and death in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Perfecting the understanding of contributors to infection burden in SLE is pivotal to improve management and outcomes. This study aims to identify clinical predictors of infection in SLE.

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Score (SLE-DAS) enables accurate and user-friendly definitions of clinical remission and categories of disease activity.

Objectives: There is an unmet need for accurate and user-friendly definitions of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) disease activity and remission. We aimed to derive and validate the SLE Disease Activity Score (SLE-DAS) definitions for disease activity categories and clinical remission state.

Methods: Derivation was conducted at Padova Lupus Clinic (Italy).

Early predictors of renal outcome in patients with proliferative lupus nephritis: a 36-month cohort study.

Objectives: To identify predictors of complete renal response (CRR) and renal flares in SLE patients with active proliferative LN.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study over 36 months including patients with biopsy-proven proliferative LN (class III/IV), from two European tertiary centres. CRR and renal flare were defined as proteinuria <0.

Derivation and validation of the SLE Disease Activity Score (SLE-DAS): a new SLE continuous measure with high sensitivity for changes in disease activity.

Objectives: To derive and validate a new disease activity measure for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the SLE Disease Activity Score (SLE-DAS), with improved sensitivity to change as compared with SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI), while maintaining high specificity and easiness of use.

Methods: We studied 520 patients with SLE from two tertiary care centres (derivation and validation cohorts). At each visit, disease activity was scored using the Physician Global Assessment (PGA) and SLEDAI 2000 (SLEDAI-2K).

Differential male and female adrenal cortical steroid hormone and cortisol responses to interleukin-6 in humans.

Evidence from experimental animal studies show that sex hormones influence the glucocorticoid response to a variety of inflammatory and noninflammatory stimuli. In this study we assessed gender differences in the response of ACTH and cortisol in normal young male and female humans following intravenous infusion of human IL-6 in various dosages. Males presented a significantly stronger ACTH production in response to IL-6 than females.