Lupus

The addition of dapirolizumab pegol to standard therapy may warrant further investigation for the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus, phase 2 trial results suggest.

Adding the calcineurin inhibitor voclosporin to background immunosuppressive therapy improves renal response rates among people with lupus nephritis, show phase 3 trial results published in The Lancet.

A French nationwide study has described COVID-19 outcomes in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

The majority of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and confirmed COVID-19 are able to produce a durable antibody response to the infection, despite the use of immunosuppressants, US research suggests.

The risk factors for poor COVID-19 outcomes in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus are largely similar to those for the general population, but research also indicates an increased risk associated with glucocorticoid use and moderate or high disease activity.

Low levels of serum complement 3 protein and a history of lupus nephritis are associated with an increased risk for preterm birth in pregnant women with systemic lupus erythematosus, Japanese researchers report.