Join us at #MDedgeChats on Tuesday, April 23, 2019, at 7:00 pm EST, for a Twitter discussion in Rheumatology on some of the top studies reported at the LUPUS 2019 Congress in San Francisco, April 5-8. Our special guests are two rheumatologists with expertise in lupus who attended the congress, Jinoos Yazdany, MD, and Gabriela Schmajuk, MD, both with the University of California, San Francisco. They will discuss the ins and outs of the study results presented.
We hope you can join us and invite a colleague, too.
We will discuss the results of the EMBRACE trial, which looks at the efficacy and safety of belimumab (Benlysta) in black patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE); these patients have a higher prevalence of SLE and often higher disease severity but have been poorly represented in past belimumab studies.
We will also chat about the results of a phase 2 trial of baricitinib (Olumiant) in SLE patients.
Finally, we will look at the clinical utility of monitoring hydroxychloroquine levels in SLE patients and how well levels of the drug correlate with disease activity through the results of a meta-analysis of studies that examined these questions.
Topics of conversation
Q1: How does the methodology of the EMBRACE trial differ from past phase 3 belimumab trials?
Q2: How does the EMBRACE trial affect the way you prescribe belimumab?
Q3: Does the hydroxychloroquine level meta-analysis provide persuasive enough evidence to begin measuring it?
Q4: What kinds of interventions show the best evidence for improving hydroxychloroquine adherence?
Q5: Were concerns about the safety of baricitinib in SLE patients reduced by the trial results?
Resources
EMBRACE trial: Efficacy and Safety of Belimumab in Black Race Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.
LUPUS 2019 abstract | ClinicalTrials.gov listing
Phase 2 trial of baricitinib in SLE.
LUPUS 2019 abstract | ClinicalTrials.gov listing
Meta-analysis examining the clinical significance of monitoring of hydroxychloroquine levels in SLE.
From LUPUS 2019:
Belimumab a bust for black SLE patients.
Here’s a top strategy for immunosuppressant discontinuation in SLE.
From EULAR 2018:
Baricitinib shows potential as lupus treatment.
About Dr. Yazdany
Dr. Yazdany is an associate professor in the division of rheumatology, department of medicine at UCSF (@UCSFMedicine). She is a rheumatologist and clinical researcher with expertise in systemic lupus erythematosus and health care quality measurement and improvement. Her clinical activities include seeing patients in the UCSF Lupus Clinic, where she serves as codirector, as well as at San Francisco General Hospital. Dr. Yazdany codirects the Quality and Informatics Lab (quil.ucsf.edu), which uses data to drive improvements in health care delivery and outcomes for people with rheumatic diseases. She also leads ongoing, longitudinal studies of lupus that are investigating health disparities and outcomes in the condition.
About Dr. Schmajuk
Dr. Schmajuk is an Associate Professor in the Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine at UCSF (@UCSFMedicine) and the San Francisco VA Medical Center. She is a rheumatologist and clinical researcher with expertise in systemic #lupus erythematosus, quality of care, and patient safety. Dr. Schmajuk also co-directs the Quality and Informatics Lab (quil.ucsf.edu), which uses data to drive improvements in health care delivery and outcomes for people with rheumatic diseases. She leads studies to develop patient-facing disease dashboards with the goal of improving patient-provider communication for patients with RA and SLE.
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