title: The need to define treatment goals for systemic lupus erythematosus.
abstract: In the current therapeutic climate, mortality rates from systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) remain unacceptably high. Although new therapies are on the horizon, pending their emergence and availability, optimization of the currently available therapies is potentially achievable. A 'treat-to-target' approach is now considered routine for many diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, for which it has substantially improved patient outcomes. The heterogeneity of SLE, as well as lack of universal agreement over methods to measure disease activity and treatment responses, has impeded the development of such an approach for this disease. In this article, the potential benefits of a treatment-target definition are explored, obstacles to the development of a treatment target in SLE are identified, and possible strategies to achieve this goal are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Monash University School of Clinical Sciences, Monash Medical Centre, 246 Clayton Road, Clayton, Melbourne, VIC 3168, Australia.
authors.forename: Kate
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Franklyn
authors.affiliation: Monash University School of Clinical Sciences, Monash Medical Centre, 246 Clayton Road, Clayton, Melbourne, VIC 3168, Australia.
authors.forename: Alberta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hoi
authors.affiliation: Departments of Medicine and Rheumatology, The University of Melbourne at St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, 41 Victoria Parade, Fitzroy, Melbourne, VIC 3065, Australia.
authors.forename: Mandana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nikpour
authors.affiliation: Monash University School of Clinical Sciences, Monash Medical Centre, 246 Clayton Road, Clayton, Melbourne, VIC 3168, Australia.
authors.forename: Eric F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Morand
mesh_terms: D023381:Endpoint Determination; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome