Race and the response to therapies for lupus: how strong is the evidence?. (August 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Litwic, Anna Ewa; Sriranganathan, Melonie Kannamma; Edwards, Christopher John
• Is Part Of: International journal of clinical rheumatology. Volume 8:Number 4(2013)
• Page Start: 471
• Page End: 481
• Publication Date: 2013-08
• Subjects: race -- systemic lupus erythematosus -- treatment; Rheumatology -- Periodicals; 616.723005
• DOI: 10.2217/ijr.13.41
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1758-4272

Abstract

Systemic lupus erythematosus is a heterogeneous autoimmune disease caused by genetic and environmental factors. It is recognized that patients from different racial backgrounds have considerable variability in the presentation and course of their disease. There is also emerging evidence that response to treatment may vary between different racial groups and geographical locations. This includes the finding that mycophenolate mofetil appears to be the therapy of choice for lupus nephritis in individuals of African and Hispanic origin. The new ACR guidelines for the treatment of lupus nephritis reflect this evidence by using racial groups to help define the choice of treatment. The strength of evidence for variation in treatment response between racial groups in systemic lupus erythematosus and how this might alter prescribing is presented in this review.