Emerging treatments for lupus nephritis

Michael Walsh

ISSN: 1734-1922

Archives of Medical Science Special Issues

Current issue Archive Archives of Medical Science

3/2009

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abstract:

Emerging treatments for lupus nephritis

Michael Walsh

Arch Med Sci 2009; 5, 3A: S 492–S 499

Online publish date: 2009/09/30

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Lupus nephritis is the most common organ threatening complication of systemic lupus erythematosus and is associated with a significantly decreased survival. Current standard therapies for lupus nephritis are complicated by high rates of toxicity and adverse events. After a long period of little change in our treatment of lupus nephritis, an improved understanding of its biology has lead to the development of many new treatments recently. Rational biologic targets for which experimental therapies exist include B and T cells and their interactions, complement and cytokines such as interleukins and tumor necrosis factor. In this article we review a selection of promising experimental therapies for the treatment of lupus nephritis.

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Emerging treatments for lupus nephritis

Michael Walsh

systemic lupus erythematosus, lupus glomerulonephritis, rituximab, biologic therapy