• Aruni Malaweera, Sukhpal Dayan, Rebecca Pellicano, Alberta Hoi, A Richard Kitching, and Joanna R Kent.
• Department of Nephrology, Monash Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
• Intern Med J. 2023 Oct 1; 53 (10): 190119061901-1906.

AbstractIn recent trials for the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), belimumab (BLM), in addition to standard immunosuppression, has been shown to improve renal and nonrenal outcomes. We report our experience using BLM in three cases of refractory lupus nephritis (LN), where renal remission was not achieved using cyclophosphamide, mycophenolate mofetil and other immunosuppressive medications. In two of the three cases, BLM therapy led to a partial remission of LN, improvement in serological markers of SLE and disease activity, which permitted a reduction in prednisolone dosing. Treatment with efficacious therapies early in the course of LN is a desirable therapeutic strategy, to achieve early remission of proteinuria and curtail the development of irreversible chronic renal damage. Further studies are needed to provide information on the effectiveness of BLM for maintenance of remission, prevention of flares and monitoring for long-term complications of B-cell modulation.© 2023 Royal Australasian College of Physicians.

17 keywords...

hide…