The future of the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus

A. Schattner, Y. Naparstek^*

ABSTRACT
Despite recent advances, patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) still experience considerable morbidity and mortality. To try and improve their prognosis, varied novel biological interventions and immune manipulations are being developed. They may hold promise in particular for patients whose disease is organ-threatening and refractory to conventional treatment.
In addition, awareness of the tendency of lupus patients to develop accelerated atherosclerosis as well as newly gained insights into the underlying mechanisms, may lead to better control of risk factors, earlier diagnosis of prevalent cardiovascular disease and more effective treatment. Infections also remain a significant threat that may be amenable to improved preventive measures. Evidence related to a better management of lupus patients by specialists, the need to address the impact of commonly associated stress and depression and other significant developments are also presented and discussed.

Ami Schattner, MD, Associate Professor; Yaakov Naparstek, MD, Professor, incumbent of the Leiferman chair of Rheumatology at Hadassah. Department of Medicine, Kaplan Medical Center, Rehovot and Department of Medicine, Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem; the Hebrew University
Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel.
Please address correspondence to: Prof. Ami Schattner, Department of Medicine, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 2QQ, UK.
E-mail: as655@medschl.cam.ac.uk

Clin Exp Rheumatol 2005; 23: 254-260.
© CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL RHEUMATOLOGY 2005.