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Abstract

Reliable and sensitive measures are needed to evaluate the quality of life (QoL) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). No lupus specific questionnaires are available. This study describes the development and validation of a disease-specific questionnaire for lupus patients, which assesses the presence and burden of 38 disease- and treatment-related symptoms: the SLE Symptom Checklist (SSC). Reliability and reproducibility were tested in respectively 87 and 28 stable SLE patients. The internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha coefficients 0.89) and test-retest reliability (Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient between 0.67 and 0.87) were satisfactory. Concurrent validity was supported by significant, but moderate correlations with other measures of subjective well-being and functional status. Responsiveness was measured in 17 patients with lupus nephritis treated with cyclophosphamide, at start of therapy and 1 year thereafter. A significant change in number of symptoms and total distress level was found. It is concluded that the SSC has satisfactory psychometric properties and appears suitable for both clinical and research purposes.

Mycophenolate Mofetil versus Azathioprine in the Maintenance Therapy of Lupus Nephritis

“…A randomized controlled trial comparing prednisolone, azathioprine with prednisolone, and intravenous cyclophosphamide in patients with mostly proliferative lupus nephritis observed that cyclophosphamide treatment is more effective in maintaining remission than azathioprine. [4] Recently, MMF has emerged as a promising alternative therapy for both induction and maintenance treatment for lupus nephritis (LN). Extensively used in organ transplantation, MMF has also been used in a variety of immuneand non-immune-mediated renal diseases.…”

Importance of health-related quality of life and its current assessment tools in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

“…С. Grootscholten и соавт. [70] сравнивали 87 пациентов, получавших в течение 52 нед инфузии ЦФ, с пациентами, которым назначали ГК и азатиоприн (АЗА): статистически значимых различий ме-жду двумя группами не выявлено, за исключением суммар-ного ментального компонента опросника SF-36 у леченных АЗА. В другом исследовании установлено, что пульс-тера-пия ЦФ существенно не влияла на качество жизни пациен-тов [71].…”

Lupus Glomerulonephritis

“…Six randomized controlled trials comparing the efficacy and adverse effects of different treatment protocols for the induction therapy of severe lupus nephritis have recently been presented (Appel, 2009;Grootscholten, 2006, Bao, 2008Chen, 2011;Mok, 2008;Furie, 2009). These are briefly summarized in Table 2.…”

“…Of the 9 deaths in the MMF group, 7 were Asians (mainly Chinese), suggesting that Asian patients tolerated high-dose prednisone and MMF (3g/day) less well. A controlled trial comparing the efficacy of CYC and azathioprine (AZA) in lupus nephritis was reported by Grootscholten et al (2006). In this study, 87 patients with proliferative lupus nephritis (class III and IV) were randomized to receive either oral prednisone combined with intravenous pulse CYC (750mg/m 2 monthly for 6 months and then quarterly for another 7 doses) or intravenous pulse methylprednisolone (1 gram daily for 3 days for 9 pulses) together with AZA (2mg/kg/day).…”