Join Dr. Anna Wolska from the Lupus Foundation of America and Dr. Laurent Arnaud, Professor of Rheumatology at the Department of Rheumatology, University Hospitals of Strasbourg as they discuss systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) clinical trials. In this episode, Dr. Arnaud highlights the complexities of drug approval processes in lupus, the pivotal role of large-scale phase three randomized trials and critical outcome measures in these trials, from primary endpoints assessing treatment efficacy to secondary and exploratory measures capturing broader impacts on patient health and quality of life.

Read the article: https://lupus.bmj.com/content/11/1/e001114

Join Dr. Anna Wolska from the Lupus Foundation of America as she delves into a groundbreaking discussion with Dr. Stephen Balevic focused on hydroxychloroquine blood levels and understanding medication adherence in lupus patients. In this episode, Dr. Balevic, a rheumatologist and clinical pharmacologist from Duke University, explains the nuances of interpreting hydroxychloroquine levels, the challenges of ensuring patient adherence, and the implications for clinical practice. Discover the latest insights on optimizing lupus treatment and learn about an innovative algorithm to improve adherence monitoring.

Read the related paper: https://doi.org/10.1136/lupus-2023-001090

Join Dr. Anna Wolska and Dr. May Choi as they explore the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) in guiding diagnostic and care decisions for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Dr. Choi delves into key elements of machine learning and its potential impact on improving outcomes, particularly in underserved populations. She also discusses various types of machine learning, such as deep learning, supervised learning, and unsupervised learning, highlighting their respective contributions to enhancing efficiencies within clinical care settings.

Read the related Review published in LSM: https://doi.org/10.1136/lupus-2023-001140

Join Dr. Anna Wolska and Dr. Jim Posada as they delve into the intricacies of RNAse therapy in the management of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). In this podcast episode, Dr. Posada describes the groundbreaking study evaluating the efficacy of RSLV-132, a novel RNAse molecule fused to human IgG1 Fc, in reducing chronic inflammation associated with cutaneous lupus. Key findings from the clinical trial reveal that patients with moderate to severe cutaneous disease activity were administered RSLV-132 over a span of six months. Disease activity was evaluated using the Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus Disease Area and Severity Index (CLASI) score and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index 2000 (SLEDAI-2K). These findings suggest that RNAse therapy may be effective in patients with higher disease activity.

Read the related paper in LSM - https://doi.org/10.1136/lupus-2023-001113

Dr. Anna Wolska engages in a conversation with Dr. Shivani Garg and Dr. Christie Bartels to delve into the development and implementation of HCQ-SAFE. This innovative decision-aid is designed to empower individuals living with lupus to engage in shared-decision making. The authors discuss the importance of streamlining and enhancing shared decision-making dynamics between patients and healthcare providers regarding the utilization of hydroxychloroquine, a cornerstone therapy in lupus. The tool can be accessed through the following link: http://hcqsafe.medicine.wisc.edu/

Read the article: https://doi.org/10.1136/lupus-2023-000935

Dr. Anna Wolska speaks to Dr. Michael Belmont and Devyn Zaminski to discuss the importance of dual dsDNA testing in order to full understand disease activity. In this study, they made the observation that there is a large amount of discordance in anti-dsDNA antibodies assays. Misinterpretation or errors in anti- dsDNA antibody testing could have negative implications on long term outcomes in people living with SLE.

Read the related paper - https://doi.org/10.1136/lupus-2023-001012

Dr. Anna Wolska engages in a discussion with renowned experts, Dr. Catharina Lindholm and Dr. David Jayne, to explore findings from the phase II TULIP Lupus Nephritis trial. This in-depth conversation centers on results from a clinical trial where they evaluated the efficacy of intensified anifrolumab treatment in individuals with active lupus nephritis.

Read the article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/lupus-2023-000910

Dr. Anna Wolska sits down with experts, Dr. Michelle Petri and Dr. Nick Ballew, analyzing the effectiveness of SLE treatments Belimumab and Anifrolumab. The conversation delves into their meticulous study, where they examined the 52-week SLE Responder Index (SRI)-4 responses, providing crucial data for informed lupus patient care. The study data, based on rigorous randomized trials and systematic literature reviews, offers clinicians invaluable insights into treatment decisions for people living with lupus.

Read the published article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/lupus-2023-000907

Dr. Anna Wolska from the Lupus Foundation of America interviews Drs. Ana Malvar and Brad Rovin. They discuss using repeat tissue biopsies to understand progression of lupus nephritis over time. They offer conjecture that both immunosuppression as well as mitigation of tissue fibrosis, resulting from inflammatory resolution, are needed in order to preserve kidney function and prevent progression to kidney failure.

Read the related article - http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/lupus-2023-000932

Dr. Anna Wolska from the Lupus Foundation of America interviews Drs. Anca Askanase and Joan Merrill, the developers of the LFA-REAL tool. Together, they discuss the importance of using a tool like LFA-REAL to understand how clinician and patient reported outcomes are essential for understanding efficacy and effectiveness of experimental therapeutics developed to treat people living with lupus.

Read the article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/lupus-2022-000875