This 2013 review discusses the application of immunoadsorption (IAS) in treating connective tissue diseases (CTDs) such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), systemic sclerosis, mixed connective tissue disease, dermatomyositis, and polymyositis. IAS is highlighted as a technique superior to plasma exchange due to its specificity and efficacy in removing pathogenic autoantibodies.
This 2023 literature review provides an overview of current and emerging therapeutic strategies for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). It emphasizes the importance of a treat-to-target approach, aiming to minimize or discontinue glucocorticosteroid use due to their associated risks. The review discusses the integration of biological therapies, such as belimumab and
This 2023 expert consensus outlines best practices for utilizing anti-double-stranded DNA (anti-dsDNA) autoantibodies in diagnosing and monitoring systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). While anti-dsDNA antibodies are integral to SLE classification and disease activity assessment, their clinical utility is hindered by assay heterogeneity, lack of standardization, and variable specificity across populations. The
This 2014 retrospective study analyzed ANA test results from 3,127 patients in Bolu, Turkey, using indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) on HEp-2 cells. ANA positivity was found in 15.8% of patients, with a significantly higher rate in females (p
This 2014 multicenter clinical trial assessed the safety and efficacy of allogeneic umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell transplantation (UC-MSCT) in 40 patients with active and refractory systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Patients received intravenous infusions of UC-MSCs on days 0 and 7. The treatment was well tolerated, with no transplantation-related adverse
This observational study explored how circulating interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels relate to various disease characteristics in 284 well-characterized patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The researchers found IL-6 was significantly associated with older age, male gender, higher C-reactive protein (CRP), and markers of complement system activation, including C1 inhibitor and C3a.
This case-control study and accompanying meta-analysis explored the roles of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interferon-alpha (IFN-α) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Among 70 SLE patients and 40 matched healthy controls, significantly elevated levels of IL-6 (p < 0.0001) and IFN-α (p = 0.01) were observed in SLE patients, both correlating positively
This observational study compared cytokine levels in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) against healthy controls, identifying shared inflammatory markers like GM-CSF, CX3CL1, IFN-α2, IL-12p70, IL-17A, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IFN-γ. Unique cytokines, such as elevated IL-2 in RA and MCP-1 and IL-10 in SLE, highlighted disease-specific
The systematic review titled “Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) Supplementation in Rheumatic Diseases” (Mediterranean Journal of Rheumatology, 2023, DOI: 10.31138/mjr.20230825.dd) evaluated the effectiveness of DHEA in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), Sjögren’s syndrome (SS), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and fibromyalgia (FM) across 21 studies. DHEA supplementation notably improved bone mineral density, reduced fatigue,
