title: Mechanisms of disease for the clinician: systemic lupus erythematosus.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review the complex interactions and processes in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
  
  
  METHODS
  Brief review of the important literature in peer-reviewed journals.
  
  
  METHODS
  Studies on the clinical and immunologic features, pathogenesis, epidemiology, laboratory evaluation, and treatment of SLE are included in this review.
  
  
  RESULTS
  SLE may include a variety of disease entities, such as isolated cutaneous lupus, undifferentiated connective tissue disease, mixed connective tissue disease, and drug-induced lupus. There are many ongoing clinical trials in SLE patients of therapeutics with different mechanisms of cellular action, such as classic immunosuppression, cell depletion, antigen-specific immunomodulation, and targeting of antigen-nonspecific, immune-activating molecules. New immune cell-targeted therapies are now available that are specifically designed to block cellular pathways involved in disease pathogenesis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The practicing physician should understand the immunology, pathogenesis, laboratory evaluation, and updated treatment options when diagnosing SLE in their clinic or daily practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Nassau University Medical Center, an affiliate of North Shore Long Island Jewish (NSLIJ) Health Care System, and Department of Medicine and Pathology, The State University of New York, Stony Brook, New York, 11554, USA. mfrieri@numc.edu.
authors.forename: Marianne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Frieri
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal