LupusPub Date : 2025-09-11DOI: 10.1177/09612033251379313
Paul J Tejada-Llacsa, Graciela S Alarcón, Manuel F Ugarte-Gil
{"title":"Prevalence of systemic lupus erythematosus in Peru and its association with environmental and healthcare factors: An ecological study.","authors":"Paul J Tejada-Llacsa, Graciela S Alarcón, Manuel F Ugarte-Gil","doi":"10.1177/09612033251379313","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/09612033251379313","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>ObjectiveTo estimate the prevalence of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) in Peru in 2017 and its association with altitude, environmental temperature, and physician density.MethodsThis ecological study was performed using population data from the 2017 Peruvian census. The number of SLE cases for each department was obtained from the National Health Registries using the ICD-10 code M32. Altitude, environmental temperature and physician density were obtained for each department from the National Institute of Statistics and Informatic (<i>Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática)</i> registries. The prevalence for each department was calculated adjusting for age and sex. Then a negative binomial regression was performed to estimate the prevalence ratio (PR) and evaluate factors associated with the prevalence of SLE.ResultsThe national prevalence of SLE was 40.2 per 100,000 people. Two age groups had the highest prevalence: 12-17 years and 30-59 years. Females exhibited a higher prevalence than males, particularly in the 30-59 age group (113.9 vs 16.1 per 100,000, respectively). An inverse relationship was observed between the age- and sex-adjusted prevalence in each department and altitude (PR 0.97; 95% CI: 0.94-0.99). On the other hand, there was a direct relationship with physician density (PR: 1.04; 95% CI: 1.01-1.07). No association was found between the adjusted prevalence and environmental temperature or latitude.ConclusionThe prevalence of SLE in Peru aligns with global estimates. The inverse relationship with altitude and the direct association with physician density suggest that environmental and healthcare access factors may influence disease distribution. Further research is needed to explore the underlying mechanisms driving these associations.</p>","PeriodicalId":18044,"journal":{"name":"Lupus","volume":" ","pages":"9612033251379313"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145040687","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
LupusPub Date : 2025-09-05DOI: 10.1177/09612033251378388
Feigao Li, Xizhe Liu, Xinhui Zhang, Menghao Li, Xiuju Liu
{"title":"Efficacy and safety of Belimumab, Rituximab and Voclosporin in the treatment of lupus nephritis based on registered clinical trials: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.","authors":"Feigao Li, Xizhe Liu, Xinhui Zhang, Menghao Li, Xiuju Liu","doi":"10.1177/09612033251378388","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/09612033251378388","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>ObjectiveTo systematically compare the clinical effectiveness and safety of Belimumab, Rituximab and Voclosporin in the treatment of lupus nephritis based on network meta-analysis method.MethodsSystematic search of registered clinical trials in four major databases (Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science, The Cochrane Register of Clinical Trials) and ClinicalTrials.gov. According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the protocol, Screening of registered randomized controlled clinical trials of Belimumab, Rituximab and Voclosporin in the treatment of lupus nephritis.ResultsThis study included a total of five registered randomized controlled clinical trials involving 1212 subjects. In terms of complete renal remission, Voclosporin -1 year, High-Voclosporin-1 year, Voclosporin-2 years and Belimumab-2 years were all significantly better than placebo; At the same time, the effect of Voclosporin-1 year on complete renal remission rate was significantly better than that of Rituximab-1 year [OR = 3.2, 95% CI (1.41,7.24)]. In terms of safety, placebo was significantly better than High-Voclosporin-1 year [OR = 0.23, 95% CI (0.07,0.82)], and the difference was statistically significant; There was no significant difference in the incidence of serious adverse events.ConclusionVoclosporin and Belimumab showed significant clinical efficacy in the treatment of lupus nephritis, and the safety was not statistically different from placebo. Voclosporin had significantly better clinical efficacy than Rituximab during 1-year treatment period. Increasing the dose of Voclosporin did not significantly improve the efficacy, but it will increase the safety risk of adverse events.</p>","PeriodicalId":18044,"journal":{"name":"Lupus","volume":" ","pages":"9612033251378388"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145006322","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
LupusPub Date : 2025-09-01Epub Date: 2025-07-01DOI: 10.1177/09612033251356138
Lévi-Dan Azoulay, Thomas Broussaud, Nadjia Kachenoura, Alexis Mathian, Micheline Pha, Miguel Hié, Nassim Ait Abdallah, Marc Pineton de Chambrun, Matthias Papo, Fleur Cohen-Aubart, Julien Haroche, Alban Redheuil, Zahir Amoura
{"title":"Performance of SCORE2, QRISK3 and PREVENT equations in systemic lupus erythematosus.","authors":"Lévi-Dan Azoulay, Thomas Broussaud, Nadjia Kachenoura, Alexis Mathian, Micheline Pha, Miguel Hié, Nassim Ait Abdallah, Marc Pineton de Chambrun, Matthias Papo, Fleur Cohen-Aubart, Julien Haroche, Alban Redheuil, Zahir Amoura","doi":"10.1177/09612033251356138","DOIUrl":"10.1177/09612033251356138","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>BackgroundAssessment of contemporary cardiovascular risk scores using clinically relevant endpoints is lacking in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).AimThis study aimed to assess and compare the performances of SCORE2, QRISK3 and PREVENT equations in SLE.MethodsSLE patients with no prior atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) who underwent a baseline cardiovascular risk assessment including coronary artery calcium (CAC) scoring at the French national SLE reference center between 2014 and 2024 were retrospectively included. The primary outcome was incident ASCVD events defined as coronary artery disease (CAD), stroke and peripheral artery disease (PAD). The secondary outcome was CAC presence (CAC score >0). Discrimination and calibration were respectively assessed by areas under the curve (AUCs) and observed-to-predicted risk ratios.ResultsA total of 143 patients were included (91% female, median age 51 years [46-60], SLE duration 15 years [8-22]). After a median follow-up of 7 years [3-9], 12 patients (8%) had incident ASCVD events (7 CAD, 4 strokes, 1 PAD). AUCs were 0.81 for SCORE2, 0.76 for QRISK3 and 0.80 for PREVENT and did not significantly differ (all <i>p</i> > .05). Optimal thresholds for clinical events prediction were 3.9% for SCORE2, 9.4% for QRISK3 and 4.3% for PREVENT. Mean observed-to-predicted ratios were 3 for SCORE2, 0.85 for QRISK3 and 2.8 for PREVENT. Similar results were obtained when using CAC as the main outcome.ConclusionRisk scores demonstrated similar and fair discriminative performances but were poorly calibrated except for QRISK3. Application of lower thresholds and use of QRISK3 may improve cardiovascular risk stratification in SLE but requires confirmation from larger studies.</p>","PeriodicalId":18044,"journal":{"name":"Lupus","volume":" ","pages":"1057-1060"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144540747","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
LupusPub Date : 2025-09-01Epub Date: 2025-07-11DOI: 10.1177/09612033251357629
Lujayn Akbar, Majd S Khader, Rawan Elshaer, Samar Jaber, Abrar K Khader, Sameeha Abdulwali, Raghad Alhuthil, Sulaiman M Al-Mayouf
{"title":"Prepubertal to adolescent lupus: Age-related variations in clinical, laboratory, and outcome profiles.","authors":"Lujayn Akbar, Majd S Khader, Rawan Elshaer, Samar Jaber, Abrar K Khader, Sameeha Abdulwali, Raghad Alhuthil, Sulaiman M Al-Mayouf","doi":"10.1177/09612033251357629","DOIUrl":"10.1177/09612033251357629","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>BackgroundChildhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (cSLE) is a heterogeneous autoimmune disease with age-related variations. Older children often exhibit higher disease activity, whereas early-onset cSLE is associated with worse outcomes. However, most existing studies are retrospective and based on single-nation cohorts, yiedling inconsistent findings.ObjectiveTo investigate age-related variations in cSLE subgroups, namely prepubertal, peripubertal, and adolescent-onset cases.MethodsThis systematic review, registered in PROSPERO and conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines, searched PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science for English-language studies pubslished between January 2000- February 2025. Eligible studies examined age-related variations in cSLE diagnosed before 18 years of age. Data were categorized into prepubertal, peri-pubertal, and adolescent-onset groups. Exclusion criteria included case reports, comments, editorials, viewpoint articles, conference abstracts, and incomplete studies. Four reviewers independently screened the articles, with discrepancies resolved by a fifth reviewer. Study quality was assessed using the NHLBI criteria.ResultsOf 16,313 studies screened, 13 met the inclusion criteria, comprising a total of 3920 cSLE cases. Among these, 464 (11.8%) were prepubertal, 1943 (49.6%) peripubertal, and 1513 (38.6%) adolescent-onset. The mean age at diagnosis was 5.8 ± 2.3, 9.4 ± 2.5, and 13.9 ± 1.1 years, respectively. The female-to-male ratio was highest in the adolescent-onset group (<i>p</i> = .002). Clinical manifestations showed no significant age-related differences; however, musculoskeletal involvement increased with age, while neuropsychiatric symptoms and fever decreased. Lymphopenia was more frequent in the adolescent-onset group (60% vs 25.6%, <i>p</i> = .016). Although disease activity and damage did not differ significantly across age groups, mortality was signficantly higher in the prepubertal group (16.5%) compared to the adolescent-onset group (2.9%) (<i>p</i> = .014).ConclusionThis review underscores both similarities and differences in cSLE across age groups. Prepubertal onset was associated with higher mortality, emphasizing the need for timely diagnosis and early intervention in this subgroup.</p>","PeriodicalId":18044,"journal":{"name":"Lupus","volume":" ","pages":"1049-1056"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144608719","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
LupusPub Date : 2025-09-01Epub Date: 2025-07-18DOI: 10.1177/09612033251360289
Maria Schletzbaum Bowler, Ang Yu, Brad C Astor, W Ryan Powell, Shivani Garg, Andrea Gilmore-Bykovskyi, Joseph Kramer, Amy J Kind, Christie M Bartels
{"title":"Associations of retention in care by visits or lupus-specific labs with acute care among young adults: A medicare cohort study.","authors":"Maria Schletzbaum Bowler, Ang Yu, Brad C Astor, W Ryan Powell, Shivani Garg, Andrea Gilmore-Bykovskyi, Joseph Kramer, Amy J Kind, Christie M Bartels","doi":"10.1177/09612033251360289","DOIUrl":"10.1177/09612033251360289","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>ObjectiveWhile quality lupus care is associated with lower lupus-related damage, the impact of access and process quality measures on other lupus outcomes remains unclear. Given high acute care in young adults, our objective was to evaluate two process quality measures, visit-based retention in lupus care and receipt of lupus-specific serologic testing, and associations with subsequent acute care use.MethodsThis cohort study used a 20% national sample of young adult (ages 18-35) Medicare beneficiaries with lupus to first measure visit-based retention in rheumatology care and receipt of ≥1 complement or dsDNA test over 1 year. Acute care use (Emergency Department visits and hospitalizations) was then assessed in the subsequent 6 months. Associations of visit-based retention and serologic testing with acute care were evaluated with Cox regressions.ResultsAmong 1036 young adults with lupus, acute care use was very high - nearly 60% at 6 months. Observed acute care-free survival time was longer in patients who had visit-based retention (154 vs 104 days, <i>p</i> = 0.02) or serologic testing (166 vs 101 days, <i>p</i> = 0.002). Only 28% of beneficiaries had serologic testing, but this was associated with 21% lower incidence of acute care (aHR 0.79, 95% CI 0.65, 0.97) after adjustment; visit-based retention was not associated with acute care after adjustment.ConclusionReceipt of complement or dsDNA antibody testing, a lupus-specific care quality indicator, was associated with reduced acute care use in young adults. Improving lupus care quality measures, like complement or dsDNA testing, may improve lupus outcomes including reduced acute care use.</p>","PeriodicalId":18044,"journal":{"name":"Lupus","volume":" ","pages":"1013-1023"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12309847/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144659572","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
LupusPub Date : 2025-09-01Epub Date: 2025-06-18DOI: 10.1177/09612033251352734
Ehsan Dehdashtian, Roberto Caricchio
{"title":"From innate immunity to autoimmunity: Neutrophils in systemic lupus erythematosus pathogenesis.","authors":"Ehsan Dehdashtian, Roberto Caricchio","doi":"10.1177/09612033251352734","DOIUrl":"10.1177/09612033251352734","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex autoimmune disease primarily affecting women of childbearing age. Historically, SLE was attributed to adaptive immune dysfunction. However, recent research highlights the critical role of innate immunity, particularly neutrophils, in disease pathogenesis. Neutrophils contribute through mechanisms such as neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formation, excessive ROS production, and impaired NET clearance. These processes lead to tissue damage by driving inflammation, promoting autoantibody formation, and causing immune complex deposition. Within this inflammatory milieu, ROS primes and NETs activate the NLRP3 inflammasome in various immune cells, leading to the release of IL-1β and IL-18. These cytokines further amplify ROS accumulation and NETosis, establishing a feed-forward inflammatory loop. In this review, we discuss the role of innate immunity in SLE, with a focus on the interplay between neutrophils, NETosis, oxidative stress and NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Understanding these mechanisms may reveal therapeutic strategies targeting excessive NETosis, enhancing NET clearance mechanisms, and modulating inflammasome or ROS activity to mitigate inflammation and tissue damage in SLE.</p>","PeriodicalId":18044,"journal":{"name":"Lupus","volume":" ","pages":"989-1002"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144326184","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Clinical and laboratory differences in pediatric-onset versus adult-onset lupus nephritis: A retrospective cohort analysis.","authors":"Joanna Kosałka-Węgiel, Radosław Dziedzic, Andżelika Siwiec-Koźlik, Magdalena Spałkowska, Lech Zaręba, Stanisława Bazan-Socha, Mariusz Korkosz","doi":"10.1177/09612033251352706","DOIUrl":"10.1177/09612033251352706","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>IntroductionLupus nephritis (LN) is a severe manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. However, the course of LN that develops at a younger age is less well understood. Therefore, we evaluated the clinical and laboratory characteristics of adult LN patients and compared them, depending on whether the disease started in childhood (pediatric-onset LN [pLN]) or in adulthood (adult-onset LN [aLN]).Patients and MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed the medical records of all adult LN patients treated at the University Hospital in Kraków, Poland, from 2012 to 2022. All included patients met the European League Against Rheumatism/American College of Rheumatology criteria for SLE from 2019.ResultsAmong 343 LN patients, pLN was stated in 46 cases (13.41%). pLN and aLN had a comparably high female-to-male ratio (6.67 vs 4.82, respectively; <i>p</i> = 0.07) and similarly often presented with more advanced kidney involvement in histology. In turn, lupus malar rash and serositis were more frequent in pLN than aLN (<i>p</i> = 0.048 and <i>p</i> = 0.015, respectively). End-stage kidney disease (ESKD) was documented in pLN patients 2.72 times more frequently (<i>p</i> = 0.036); however, the person-year rate did not differ. Interestingly, in pLN we reported a more common presence of anti-cardiolipin antibodies in the IgM class (<i>p</i> = 0.042). The occurrence of other SLE-specific autoantibodies did not differ between both analyzed groups. Regarding immunosuppressive treatment, glucocorticosteroids were the most frequently utilized in both subgroups. Still, pLN cases were more frequently treated with chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine, azathioprine, and immunoglobulins than aLN patients (<i>p</i> < 0.05, for all).ConclusionspLN is characterized by more severe SLE clinical manifestations. Therefore, SLE patients who developed LN in childhood likely require more aggressive immunosuppressive treatment.</p>","PeriodicalId":18044,"journal":{"name":"Lupus","volume":" ","pages":"1039-1048"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144484916","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Mortality among inpatients with systemic lupus erythematosus in a tertiary care hospital.","authors":"Mohan Kumar Hanumanthappa, Manisha Gulia, Vikas Sharma, Navneet Arora, Godasi Srsnk Naidu, Valliappan Muthu, Vishal Sharma, Varun Dhir, Manish Rathi, Harbir Singh Kohli, Sanjay Jain, Aman Sharma","doi":"10.1177/09612033251360287","DOIUrl":"10.1177/09612033251360287","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>BackgroundSystemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality, particularly during hospitalisation. Differentiating between infection and disease activity is crucial but challenging. Regional variations in infection rates and disease manifestations necessitate region-specific studies.ObjectivesTo evaluate whether infections at or during hospitalisation are associated with increased mortality among SLE patients and identify additional predictors of adverse outcomes.MethodsThis retrospective case-control study included SLE patients hospitalised between January 2012 and December 2021. Cases (<i>n</i> = 111) were patients who expired during hospitalisation, matched 1:2 with controls (<i>n</i> = 222) discharged alive, based on age (±3 years) and sex, stratified annually. SLE diagnosis was based on ACR 1997 or SLICC 2012 criteria. COVID-19 cases were excluded. Patients were categorised by admission cause as 'Infection', 'Disease-associated', or 'Mixed'. Data on demographics, clinical features, laboratory parameters, and treatments were extracted, and multivariable logistic regression identified independent predictors of mortality.ResultsThe hospital mortality rate was 8.9%. Infection (with or without disease activity) significantly contributed to hospital admissions among non-survivors (57%) compared to survivors (25%; <i>p</i> < 0.001). Acinetobacter baumannii was the most frequent pathogen. Multivariable analysis showed infection at hospitalisation (OR 3.37, 95% CI 1.85-6.13), pulmonary involvement (OR 3.06, 95% CI 1.52-6.18), cardiac involvement (OR 2.13, 95% CI 1.07-4.25), and serum creatinine levels as independent predictors of mortality. Higher serum albumin was protective (OR 0.53, 95% CI 0.35-0.79). Juvenile lupus subgroup analysis (<i>n</i> = 38) revealed similar infection-related mortality patterns.ConclusionsOur study highlights the significant impact of infections, particularly hospital-acquired infections, on mortality among hospitalised SLE patients. Enhanced clinical vigilance, early interventions, and rigorous infection control measures are needed to improve outcomes in hospitalised SLE patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":18044,"journal":{"name":"Lupus","volume":" ","pages":"1080-1087"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144642911","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Immunosuppressive therapy withdrawal in lupus nephritis, is it possible?: A systematic review.","authors":"Stefanus Gunawan Kandinata, Awalia, Yuliasih, Lita Diah Rahmawati, Cahyo Wibisono Nugroho, Arinditia Triasti Putri, Angela Kimberly Tjahjadi, Mega Kahdina, Mandana Nikpour","doi":"10.1177/09612033251352709","DOIUrl":"10.1177/09612033251352709","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>IntroductionMaintenance of immunosuppressants (IST) is critical for sustaining remission in lupus nephritis (LN) patients. However, long-term use is associated with an increased risk of side effects such as infection. Yet, early IST withdrawal also poses a high risk of flare. This study aims to provide an overview of the impact of optimal IST withdrawal in patients with LN who have achieved remission.MethodWe conducted a systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies regarding the discontinuation of IST in patients with proliferative LN who had been in remission for at least 1 year. Data from PubMed, ProQuest, and Web of Science were extracted on patient demographics, baseline characteristics, treatment regimens, and outcomes, including flare rates, renal function, and biopsy findings. The risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and the JADAD Score.ResultsFive studies with 310 patients were included. The mean age of participants ranged from 26 to 38 years. Overall, flares following IST withdrawal occurred in an average of 28.7% of patients. Between the two groups (flare and no-flare), baseline serum creatinine was comparable, but baseline proteinuria and C3 & C4 levels were varied across studies. The duration of lupus before study entry was approximately 4-10 years, with a duration of complete remission of 12-59.5 months before IST withdrawal. Follow-up periods ranged from 24 to 215 months. The Biopsy Activity Index and Chronicity Index at baseline also showed variation but generally indicated a higher level of chronic damage in the flare group.DiscussionDiscontinuation of IST is feasible but may be associated with an increased risk of severe flares, often requiring reintroduction of induction therapy. Careful assessment and monitoring of both histologic and clinical activity are essential when evaluating remission and considering IST withdrawal, as a low activity index may guide safer withdrawal strategies.ConclusionIST withdrawal is feasible in patients with LN who have achieved remission, but careful monitoring is required due to the risk of relapse and potential progression of chronic kidney damage. Histological confirmation and predictive tools may support safer withdrawal decisions.</p>","PeriodicalId":18044,"journal":{"name":"Lupus","volume":" ","pages":"1003-1012"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144317338","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}