View clinical trials related to Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic.
Filter by:Lupus is a disease in which the immune system, which normally fights infection, begins to attack healthy cells in the body. This phenomenon is called autoimmunity and what the immune system attacks is called the autoantigen. Lupus can affect many parts of the body and often affects the skin, with immune cells attacking autoantigens in the skin and causing a rash. This rash is often visible to the public because it tends to occur on sun-exposed areas, for example a patient's face, chest, and arms. For this reason, among others, skin lupus can be a source of disability and poor health related quality of life in many patients with this disease. It is not completely understood why or how someone might develop lupus, however there are likely many reasons which include their genetics and also the kind of environment they live in. One such environmental factor, vitamin D, is more commonly known as a vitamin important for bone health. However, we are learning that vitamin D has effects all over the body, and is also important for a healthy immune system. Low levels of vitamin D have been associated with an increased risk of other autoimmune disorders such as diabetes and multiple sclerosis, and have also been found to be common in skin lupus patients. Vitamin D is made in the skin when it is exposed to the sun, specifically ultraviolet B radiation (UVB). The main source of vitamin D for most people is its production in the skin because the normal American diet is not high in vitamin D. However, patients with skin lupus tend to stay out of the sun because their rash is made worse by sunlight, which is thought to produce more of the autoantigens in the skin attacked by the immune system. Additionally, as skin doctors (dermatologists) we recommend sun protection to skin lupus patients to minimize sun-sensitivity and prevent flares of their skin disease. However we may be putting them at risk for low vitamin D status and even more severe disease. Another risk factor that puts skin lupus patients at risk for vitamin D deficiency is that these patients generally have darker skin types which blocks UVB and further limits vitamin D production in the skin. Given that skin lupus patients are at high risk for low vitamin D status as mentioned above, the investigators propose a research study that will provide information about vitamin D levels in these patients. The investigators seek to identify how many skin lupus patients have low vitamin D status and how vitamin D influences the natural history of this skin disease. Additionally the investigators will evaluate whether or not supplementation with high dose vitamin D will lessen the severity and negative quality of life impact of skin lupus. Supplementation of vitamin D by mouth is an inexpensive, well tolerated, and safe over the counter method to replete and maintain a normal vitamin D status. Studies in other autoimmune diseases, specifically Crohn's disease and multiple sclerosis, have shown that high dose vitamin D supplementation improves disease severity. It is the hope of the investigators that this will also be observed in skin lupus patients. In summary, the investigators seek to move beyond establishing an association between vitamin D status and skin lupus. The investigators aim to elucidate the therapeutic benefit, if any, of vitamin D status on disease severity and quality of life while controlling for important factors that may influence vitamin D status. If the investigators are to show improvement in disease severity with vitamin D supplementation, this would be a cost-effective additional therapy to our standard clinical practice. Future research would also allow us to investigate other alternative markers of vitamin D deficiency and disease activity in skin lupus patients, a population at high risk for low vitamin D status and in need of further research.
The purpose of this SLE study is to evaluate the long-term safety and efficacy of LY2127399 in eligible SLE participants who have completed the core studies (NCT01196091) (NCT01205438).
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy, safety and tolerability of belimumab administered subcutaneously (SC) to adult subjects with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE).
This 12 week study will observe patients with and without systemic lupus erythematosus who have persistent antiphospholipid antibodies in the blood who are starting a medicine called hydroxychloroquine. It will measure if these patients have a change in a blood test called the annexin A5 resistance assay over that 12 week period.
Individuals with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE, lupus) appear to be at increased risk for the development of shingles, a painful reactivation of the varicella zoster virus that causes chicken pox. The investigators propose to study the immune response to commercially available Zostavax vaccine (shingles vaccine) in adult patients with SLE who have minimal disease activity and are on mild immunosuppressant medications, and to compare the immune response to that seen in healthy people following vaccination. Acceptable immunosuppressive drugs permitted in the study are those felt to be safe according to Centers for Disease Control guidelines. Ten healthy people and 10 SLE patients (all over 50 years of age) will be recruited to receive a single, standard dose of Zostavax. Blood samples and physical examination will be performed prior to injection, then 2,6,and 12 weeks following vaccination. All participants will receive active vaccine, there is no placebo group.
The purpose of this study is to evaluate ultrasound hands in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.
This study is designed to evaluate the safety and tolerability of multiple intravenously administered doses of PD-0360324 in patients with cutaneous lupus erythematosus. Changes in disease activity will also be evaluated.
Polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids (ω3 PUFAs) are essential nutrients. Studies indicate that the incidence of Major Depression (MD) is inversely related to the consumption of fish (which are rich in ω3-PUFAs) and to the concentration of ω3 PUFAs in the plasma or Red Blood Cell (RBC) membranes. In several studies, the ω6 to ω3 ratio was elevated (ω6 PUFAs are pro-inflammatory, compared to ω3). ω3 PUFAs are also inversely associated with anxiety and neuroticism but apparently not with somatization. Supplementation of fish oil alleviates joint pain in patients with auto-immune disease. Inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokines (which induce both pain and depression-like symptoms) by ω3 PUFAs may underlie the benefit conferred by fish oil consumption . RBC ω3 PUFA content is lower in patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and chronic fatigue syndrome, compared to healthy controls. The ω3 PUFA status of fibromyalgia patients has not been assessed. Magnesium is an essential nutrient and plays a regulatory role in neural transmission. It is not known whether magnesium concentration is associated with pain in humans. The objectives of the current study are to 1) compare the mean RBC omega-3 content in female fibromyalgia patients compared to that of healthy controls and female SLE patients, and to 2) assess the correlation between RBC omega-3 content and between the severity of physical (e.g. pain) and mental (e.g. depression) in fibromyalgia and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE).
The primary objective of the study is to evaluate the safety, tolerability and Pharmacokinetics (PK) of Epratuzumab in Japanese subjects with moderate to severe general SLE as add on to standard of care treatment during the trial.
Systemic lupus erythematosis (SLE) is an autoimmune disease, meaning that the body's immune system attacks its own organs and tissues. Within the immune system, B-cells and plasma cells make proteins called antibodies, which in autoimmune disease can bind to one's own tissues and are thus referred to as autoantibodies. Atacicept blocks 2 factors in the body, called BLyS and APRIL, which are important for the maintenance of B-cells and plasma cells, and thus the production of antibodies. This study will assess whether treatment with atacicept can reduce SLE disease activity. Atacicept is still an experimental drug, meaning that it is not available outside of a clinical trial, and that its potential benefits and risks have not been fully determined. A total of 175 subjects are planned to be randomized (35 subjects per treatment arm) in a 1:1:1:1:1 ratio to receive either atacicept 5 mg, atacicept 25 mg, atacicept 75 mg, atacicept 115 mg or matching placebo, given subcutaneously once weekly for 24 weeks. The primary objective of the trial is to evaluate the efficacy of atacicept compared to placebo in reducing SLE disease activity in subjects treated with standard of care (SoC) therapy and to investigate the dose-response relationship. The secondary objectives of the trial are: - To evaluate the effect of atacicept in reducing corticosteroid usage - To evaluate the safety and tolerability profile of atacicept in subjects with SLE - To confirm the PK and PD profiles of atacicept in SLE subjects - To evaluate the changes in the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form General Health Survey [SF-36].