Connective tissue diseases

An exploratory analysis of data from the phase 2b BEAT LUPUS trial suggests that IgA2 anti-dsDNA antibody levels may be able to predict response to B cell-targeted therapies in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Remibrutinib, an oral Bruton’s tyrosine kinase inhibitor, has shown potential for the treatment of Sjögren's syndrome in a phase 2 study.

Rituximab and cyclophosphamide have similar overall efficacy in patients with connective tissue disease-associated interstitial lung disease, but rituximab may be associated with fewer adverse events, suggest findings from a phase 2b trial.

Addition of the recombinant fusion protein telitacicept to standard care may reduce disease activity and is well tolerated in people with systemic lupus erythematosus, research suggests.

Dapagliflozin deserves further study as an add-on therapy for reducing renal and cardiovascular risk in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, suggest preliminary trial findings.

Men with systemic sclerosis-associated interstitial lung disease may experience worse outcomes than women, which could be explained by sex differences in biomarker profiles, suggests a post-hoc analysis of the SLS I and SLS II trials.

Research suggests that using a daily hydroxychloroquine dose of 5 mg/kg or lower, as recommended by ophthalmology guidelines, is associated with an increased risk for systemic lupus erythematosus flares compared with higher doses.

Phase 2 trial results suggest that low-dose interleukin-2 therapy with aldesleukin may represent a promising add-on treatment option for systemic lupus erythematosus.

Pioglitazone, a peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-γ agonist, is associated with improvements in vascular stiffness and various cardiometabolic parameters in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, show study findings.

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Development of ustekinumab as a potential therapeutic option for systemic lupus erythematosus has been terminated following an interim analysis of the phase 3 LOTUS trial, which demonstrated no benefit of the IL-12/23 inhibitor in this patient population.

Individuals who discontinue maintenance immunosuppressive therapy for proliferative lupus nephritis after 2–3 years have a higher rate of relapse and severe flares than those who continue with treatment, suggest data from the WIN-Lupus trial.

The phase 2 PAISLEY study suggests that the tyrosine kinase 2 inhibitor deucravacitinib may be a promising novel therapeutic option for systemic lupus erythematosus.

Discordant results from two phase 3 studies make it difficult to determine whether baricitinib benefits patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, despite previous positive findings in phase 2.

Nearly all patients with myositis report current or past pain, which is often treated with opioids, shows a survey by the patient-led advocacy organization Myositis Support and Understanding.

Gene expression profiles are associated with rituximab response among people of African or Asian ancestry with systemic lupus erythematosus, but not in those of European ancestry, research suggests.

Findings from a phase 1/2 pilot study suggest that baricitinib may be a promising treatment option for primary Sjögren's syndrome.

Phase 3 trial results suggest that the calcineurin inhibitor tacrolimus may represent an alternative option to cyclophosphamide for the initial treatment of lupus nephritis.

Branched-chain amino acid supplementation has no impact on muscle strength or clinical response in people with polymyositis or dermatomyositis but may improve dynamic repetitive muscle function, Japanese study data show.