Real-world use and outcomes of belimumab in childhood-onset lupus: A single-center retrospective study
Authors' conclusion
In our cohort of pediatric patients with lupus and moderate disease activity treated with belimumab for ≥12 months, daily oral glucocorticoid doses were significantly lower 6 and 12 months after belimumab initiation than baseline. Use in patients with active nephritis was uncommon.
Study context
- Population
- Children and young adults with cSLE who received ≥ 1 dose of belimumab, single large pediatric rheumatology center11 continued ≥12 months
- Participants
- 21 children
- Exposure
- Oral GC doses and SLEDAI-2K at baseline, 6 and 12 months after belimumab initiation
- Outcome
- Prednisone-equivalent daily oral GC doses and SLEDAI-2K scores in patients continuing belimumab for a year
- Follow-up
- 6 and 12 months
Methodological detailssingle-centre, repeated measures one-way ANOVA
- Single-centre
- Repeated measures one-way ANOVA
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Daily oral prednisone dose (median [IQR]), patients continuing ≥12 months · baseline, 6 and 12 months
P = 0.037
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Median
| Outcome | Baseline | 6 months | 12 months | P value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SLEDAI-2K score (median [IQR]), patients continuing ≥12 months · baseline, 6 and 12 monthsBaseline vs 12 months · across baseline, 6 and 12 months | 8 (IQR 5.5–10.5) | 6 (IQR 3.5–10) | 6 (IQR 6–8.5) | P = 0.548 |
Belimumab persistence
- Continued ≥6 months
- 13 (62%)
- Continued ≥12 months
- 11 (52%)
Baseline characteristics at belimumab initiation
- Median disease duration, months [IQR]
- 30.8 [21.0-79.1]
- Taking an antimalarial
- 100%
- On oral GC
- 81%
- On ≥1 conventional DMARD
- 91%
Original publication
Real-world use and outcomes of belimumab in childhood-onset lupus: A single-center retrospective study. Lupus. Published 6 July 2023. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →