Lupus & antiphospholipid syndrome
Real-world treatment patterns and clinical characteristics in patients with moderate-to-severe systemic lupus erythematosus: an analysis of the systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) Prospective Observational Cohort Study (SLE Prospective Observational Cohort Study (SPOCS))
Authors' conclusion
These findings underscore that SLE therapy is still often unable to reach goals as recommended by the European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology, both with regard to glucocorticoid use and disease activity, suggesting that there is an unmet need for new treatment options for patients with SLE.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with moderate-to-severe SLE, worldwide
- Outcome
- Real-world patterns of medication use (antimalarials, GC, biologics, immunosuppressants), oral GC dose and disease activity (SLEDAI-2K) over time
Methodological detailsmultinational, 3-year follow-up, subgroup analyses by baseline interferon gene signature (IFNGS) and SLEDAI-2K status
- Multinational
- 3-year follow-up
- Subgroup analyses by baseline IFNGS and SLEDAI-2K status
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Antimalarials
n=670; 81.1%
GC
n=537; 65.0%
Immunosuppressants
n=453; 54.8%
Biologics
n=175; 21.2%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
SLEDAI-2K score, median (IQR), overall population · baseline and 12 months
- Baseline
- 8.0 (6.0-12.0)
- 12 months
- 4.0 (2.0-8.0)
- Decreased within 12 months and remained stable thereafter
Mean (SD) daily oral GC dose · baseline and 6 months
- Baseline
- 6.0 (7.09)
- 6 months
- 9.8 (8.67)
- Increased by 6 months and remained stable thereafter
Proportion on GC doses >5 mg/day · throughout the study
- Ranged
- ≈20% to 33%
Immunosuppressant and GC use by subgroup
- High IFNGS and high disease activity state (HDAS) at baseline used more immunosuppressants and GC than low IFNGS and non-HDAS
Original publication
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