Systemic lupus erythematosus: one year in review 2023

Abstract

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease with a wide range of clinical manifestations and a relapsing-remitting course. New data regarding pathogenic pathways, biomarkers and clinical manifestations of SLE are emerging, and new drugs and therapeutic protocols have been proposed to improve the control of disease activity. Furthermore, new insights into comorbidities and reproductive health in SLE patients are constantly emerging. This annual review aims to summarise the most relevant data on SLE that was published in 2022.

cg05883128 (DDX60) and NR3C2 (CD4 T-cells and B-cells) to Be the Genetic Roots of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

“…In [2], the gene ITGA8 was discussed; see also [17]. However, this gene was not identified in our computation.…”

“…In the one year in review 2023 [2], the authors reviewed 93 published papers in 2022 and concluded new results and data have improved the understanding of SLE, although further studies and research are needed to improve the knowledge we have on this complex disease.…”

“…The global SLE newly diagnosed population is estimated to be around 400,000 annually, and most of these people are women [1]. In the one year in review 2023 [2], the authors reviewed 93 published papers in 2022 and concluded new results and data have improved the understanding of SLE, although further studies and research are needed to improve the knowledge we have on this complex disease. Upon reviewing 120 published articles, the authors in [3] concluded that more robust immunological biomarkers are needed to better understand disease progression in individuals with SLE, including non-organ-specific SLE biomarkers and organ-specific SLE biomarkers.…”

“…Moreover, advanced computational methods are required to analyze large datasets and discover novel biomarkers. This paper is not going to further conduct a literature review, and the readers are referred to two excellent review papers [2,3]. This work aims to fill in the gap discussed in [3].…”

Case report: Synchronous tumors of the female reproductive tract in systemic lupus erythematosus: report of two cases and review of the literature

“…It is unknown why patients with SLE have a higher incidence of malignancies of the reproductive tract, but this may be attributable to the following: overlap with Sjogren’s syndrome, lupus-associated medications, viral infections, conventional cancer risk factors, and innate immune system abnormalities ( 11 ). SLE is characterized by the formation of numerous immune complexes through the binding of autoantibodies (anti-DNA and anti-histone antibodies) to their corresponding autoantigens ( 16 , 17 ), which are deposited throughout the body, activating the complement system and leading to tissue damage. Patients with SLE have an increased risk of developing malignancies due to the accumulation of DNA damage caused by autoantibodies that interfere with DNA repair ( 18 ).…”