title: New therapies and preventive strategies to treat and minimize damage in lupus.
abstract: Systemic lupus erythematosus is a complex disease characterized by a loss of immune tolerance leading to autoantibody production, immune complex deposition in target organs, and resultant tissue damage. There are currently only three medications approved for the treatment of lupus; hydroxychloroquine, aspirin, and prednisone. This limited spectrum of medications is contrasted by the dozen clinical trials in lupus underway or planned for the next 2 years. These new therapeutic agents hold promise for being more effective with fewer side effects than the current available agents. Increased awareness of co-morbid diseases in lupus is also leading to new approaches for the prevention of "disease damage" in lupus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA.
authors.forename: Henda
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bouali
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gilkeson
mesh_terms: D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000379:methods; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents