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Vol 4, No 2 (2018)
Review paper
Published online: 2018-08-17
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Treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus — future challenges and prospects

Dominik Samotij1
Forum Dermatologicum 2018;4(2):70-77.
Affiliations
  1. Department of Dermatology, Institute of Medical Sciences, Medical College of Rzeszow University

open access

Vol 4, No 2 (2018)
REVIEW ARTICLES
Published online: 2018-08-17

Abstract

Systemic lupus erythematosus is a chronic, multi-systemic autoimmune condition characterized by a highly unpredictable course involving flares and remissions. Long term outcome of lupus patients has dramatically improved over the last decades due to widespread introduction of potent therapies. Nevertheless, chronic corticosteroid exposure and wide-spectrum immunosuppression are major contributors to organ function deterioration and infective complications. Cumulative toxicity over time results in appreciably shortened life span with significant mortality rates among patients with refractory disease or lupus nephritis. Complex nature of the disease itself, limited understanding of the pathogenesis and the lack of reliable outcome measures are the main reasons for difficulties in demonstrating a novel effective therapy, therefore biologic modalities are still limited in systemic lupus erythematosus. Continuous efforts are being made to develop more selective and less-toxic innovative therapies that would enable tight disease control and improve the prognosis. Identification of novel treatment targets and adequate clinical trials design are sine qua non conditions to confirm drugs’ efficacy and have them approved by regulatory agencies.

Abstract

Systemic lupus erythematosus is a chronic, multi-systemic autoimmune condition characterized by a highly unpredictable course involving flares and remissions. Long term outcome of lupus patients has dramatically improved over the last decades due to widespread introduction of potent therapies. Nevertheless, chronic corticosteroid exposure and wide-spectrum immunosuppression are major contributors to organ function deterioration and infective complications. Cumulative toxicity over time results in appreciably shortened life span with significant mortality rates among patients with refractory disease or lupus nephritis. Complex nature of the disease itself, limited understanding of the pathogenesis and the lack of reliable outcome measures are the main reasons for difficulties in demonstrating a novel effective therapy, therefore biologic modalities are still limited in systemic lupus erythematosus. Continuous efforts are being made to develop more selective and less-toxic innovative therapies that would enable tight disease control and improve the prognosis. Identification of novel treatment targets and adequate clinical trials design are sine qua non conditions to confirm drugs’ efficacy and have them approved by regulatory agencies.

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Keywords

systemic lupus erythematosus, therapeutics, pathogenesis

About this article
Title

Treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus — future challenges and prospects

Journal

Forum Dermatologicum

Issue

Vol 4, No 2 (2018)

Article type

Review paper

Pages

70-77

Published online

2018-08-17

Page views

1029

Article views/downloads

5522

Bibliographic record

Forum Dermatologicum 2018;4(2):70-77.

Keywords

systemic lupus erythematosus
therapeutics
pathogenesis

Authors

Dominik Samotij

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