Lupus Science and Medicine podcast

In this episode of the Lupus Foundation of America podcast, Jaren Crump sits down with Dr. Luís Inês, rheumatologist and President of the European Lupus Society, about new research that could change how doctors understand and treat severe lupus. Dr. Inês explains how an evaluation tool known as SLE-DAS, makes it easier for clinicians to measure severe lupus disease activity — and why that matters for improving treatment decisions, quality of life, and long-term health. Read the paper published in LSM: https://doi.org/10.1136/lupus-2025-001499

In this podcast, Dr. Anna Wolska sits down with Dr. Eric Morand to discuss a groundbreaking effort to improve how lupus treatment success is measured in clinical trials. Dr. Morand explains why existing tools weren’t designed for tracking treatment response and describes a rigorous, patient-inclusive Delphi process that narrowed dozens of possible disease aspects down to eight meaningful domains. By involving patients at every step, the new measure focuses on what patients truly feel and function. Early work on defining precise assessments for each domain is underway, with practical use in trials expected by 2026, promising clearer results and faster access to new lupus therapies. Read the paper published in LSM - https://doi.org/10.1136/lupus-2024-001484

Join Dr. Anna Wolska from the Lupus Foundation of America as she talks with Dr. Jim Oates about his recently published study in Lupus Science & Medicine on validating claims-based algorithms in Medicare data to identify SLE and lupus nephritis. Dr. Oates explains how ICD-10 coding and geospatial analysis (via the Lupus Index) can help pinpoint disparities, guide clinical trial recruitment, and reveal how location affects patient outcomes. The conversation covers the varying sensitivity and specificity of different coding algorithms, potential racial differences, and how overlaying socioeconomic and environmental data can shed light on lupus prevalence and improve healthcare resource allocation. Read the article published in LSM - https://doi.org/10.1136/lupus-2024-001329

Join Dr. Anna Wolska and Dr. Jordan Roberts, a pediatric rheumatologist, as they explore the use of Rituximab in treating childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). They discuss key factors for healthcare providers when prescribing Rituximab to children and adolescents, especially for severe cases like lupus nephritis and CNS involvement. Dr. Roberts presents recent research on Rituximab’s safety, highlighting increased infection risks and the need for targeted prevention strategies. Tune in for expert insights on the latest advancements, challenges, and future directions in pediatric lupus treatment. Read the paper published in LSM - https://doi.org/10.1136/lupus-2024-001210

Join host Dr. Anna Wolska as she explores a new study in Lupus Science & Medicine on how positive psychosocial factors—such as resilience, self-efficacy, and emotional support—can reduce stress in people with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). In this episode, she speaks with Drs. Kimberly DeQuattro and Sarah Patterson about these factors' protective effects, even for those with trauma histories, and discusses the study's implications for patient care and how enhancing these factors can improve outcomes in lupus management. Read the paper published in LSM: https://doi.org/10.1136/lupus-2023-001060

Join Dr. Anna Wolska from the Lupus Foundation of America and Dr. Laurent Arnaud, Professor of Rheumatology at the Department of Rheumatology, University Hospitals of Strasbourg as they discuss systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) clinical trials. In this episode, Dr. Arnaud highlights the complexities of drug approval processes in lupus, the pivotal role of large-scale phase three randomized trials and critical outcome measures in these trials, from primary endpoints assessing treatment efficacy to secondary and exploratory measures capturing broader impacts on patient health and quality of life. Read the article: https://lupus.bmj.com/content/11/1/e001114

Join Dr. Anna Wolska and Dr. May Choi as they explore the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) in guiding diagnostic and care decisions for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Dr. Choi delves into key elements of machine learning and its potential impact on improving outcomes, particularly in underserved populations. She also discusses various types of machine learning, such as deep learning, supervised learning, and unsupervised learning, highlighting their respective contributions to enhancing efficiencies within clinical care settings. Read the related Review published in LSM: https://doi.org/10.1136/lupus-2023-001140

Dr. Anna Wolska engages in a conversation with Dr. Shivani Garg and Dr. Christie Bartels to delve into the development and implementation of HCQ-SAFE. This innovative decision-aid is designed to empower individuals living with lupus to engage in shared-decision making. The authors discuss the importance of streamlining and enhancing shared decision-making dynamics between patients and healthcare providers regarding the utilization of hydroxychloroquine, a cornerstone therapy in lupus. The tool can be accessed through the following link: http://hcqsafe.medicine.wisc.edu/ Read the article: https://doi.org/10.1136/lupus-2023-000935

Dr. Anna Wolska engages in a discussion with renowned experts, Dr. Catharina Lindholm and Dr. David Jayne, to explore findings from the phase II TULIP Lupus Nephritis trial. This in-depth conversation centers on results from a clinical trial where they evaluated the efficacy of intensified anifrolumab treatment in individuals with active lupus nephritis. Read the article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/lupus-2023-000910

Dr. Anna Wolska from the Lupus Foundation of America interviews Drs. Ana Malvar and Brad Rovin. They discuss using repeat tissue biopsies to understand progression of lupus nephritis over time. They offer conjecture that both immunosuppression as well as mitigation of tissue fibrosis, resulting from inflammatory resolution, are needed in order to preserve kidney function and prevent progression to kidney failure. Read the related article - http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/lupus-2023-000932

Dr. Anna Wolska from the Lupus Foundation of America interviews Dr. Amrie Grammer and Dr. Peter Lipsky from AMPEL BioSolutions. Together they describe the molecular endotypes of Type 1 and Type 2 Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. This episode uncovers the distinct molecular profiles of these SLE types and paves the way for personalized treatment approaches based on these classifications. Link to published paper: https://lupus.bmj.com/content/10/1/e000861

Dr. Anna Wolska from the Lupus Foundation of America interviews Dr. Andrea Fava from Johns Hopkins University about Belimumab treatment in lupus nephritis. Dr Fava elucidates on the correlation between the decrease in urinary CD163 levels and the response to Belimumab treatment in Lupus Nephritis trials. The conversation provides important insights into the efficacy of this treatment option and potential biomarker use for personalized and precision medicine in the future. Read the article: dx.doi.org/10.1136/lupus-2022-000763

Duane Peters from the Lupus Foundation of America interviews Dr Peter Izmirly from New York University and Dr Elizabeth Ferucci from the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, both in the USA. They discuss the establishment of a network of population-based lupus patient registries in the USA and how these have been used to estimate the incidence rate of systemic lupus erythematosus using standardised data stratified by sex, race and ethnicity. Access the article: https://lupus.bmj.com/content/8/1/e000614