Treatment AIMS: Symptomatic: anti-inflammatories Sunbarrier creams reduce activity reduce damage prevent flares improve quality of life Symptomatic: anti-inflammatories Sunbarrier creams Antimalarials: chloroquine
Treatment Corticosteroids: Immunosuppressants: more severe disease kidney, serositis, anaemia, cardiac Immunosuppressants: azathioprine Cyclophosphamide Monitoring and education
Prognosis Improved over the last half century Death: earlier diagnosis better treatment Death: SLE Treatment (sepsis) Unrelated
Prognosis -- deaths SLE related: Overall: Renal Neurological sepsis vascular
Useful antibody tests Antinuclear Factor (ANF) Anti-DNA Antibody (ADA) Anti-centromere Antibody Anti-topoisomerase1 Antibody Extractable Nuclear Antigens Sm RNP Ro/ La Antiphospholipid Antibody(ACLA)
Reasons for referral to a Rheumatologist To confirm a diagnosis To assess disease activity and severity To provide a general management plan To manage uncontrolled disease To manage life-threatening/ organ disease To manage/ prevent treatment toxicities Special circumstances, eg. Pregnancy + APL