Active clinical trials for "Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic"

Autoimmune diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, myositis, or anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis, may affect multiple organ systems. Occasionally, patients deteriorate acutely requiring advanced care in an intensive care unit (ICU). In an ICU setting, mortality is estimated with scoring systems, such as APACHE or SAPSII. Since there are limited data available on their use in autoimmune diseases, with the current study, we aim to assess the usefulness of these ICU scores and analyze predictors of mortality in this particular group of patients.

One of the best understood mechanisms by which cytokines activate signals, thus eliciting specific responses in target cells, involves enzymes such as Janus kinases (JAKs) and transcriptional factors such as signal transducers and activators of transcription (STATs). For immune mediated diseases, both activating and inactivating mutations of JAKs and STATs may cause abnormalities in immune homeostasis. Polymorphisms of JAK/STAT genes have been linked to susceptibility for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) , systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), psoriatic arthritis (PA) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) . Janus_kinase 3 expression will be evaluated in the serum and renal tissue of lupus patients during active stage of the disease through this study

Systemic lupus erythematosus is systemic autoimmune disease characterized by a wide range of clinical manifestations, from skin and mucosal lesions to severe injuries in the central nervous system, kidneys and other organs. The presence of high titres of autoantibodies against nuclear components, immune complexes deposition, complement deficiency and lymphocytes infiltration in affected tissues, which causes tissue and organ damage are the main characteristics of the disease. Nowadays, many studies elucidate the essential role of autophagy in the occurrence, development and severity of systemic lupus erythematosus.

Treat to target (T2T) strategies have proved to be useful in several chronic disorders, including Rheumatoid Arthritis. In systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), T2T strategy has been proposed in order to control disease activity, improve health-related quality of life, and reduce morbidity and mortality. Remission would be the main target, but a low disease activity state (LDAS) could be an acceptable alternative. However, due to SLE protean manifestations, the operational definitions of both remission and LDAS are still in progress. This clinical trial would like to assess the clinical value of T2T strategy in the treatment of children with SLE, optimize the treatment of children with SLE, andimprove the prognosis.

To develop a test to characterize and monitor SLE disease activity status from a participant's home by analyzing the gene expression from participant self-collected blood samples using a novel fingerstick collection kit.

The aim of thie study to assess tear film parameters such as tear meniscus height (TMH), tear meniscus area (TMA), and tear meniscus depth (TMD). In addition, corneal pachymetry and epithelial thickness maps in juvenile SLE patients and compared to healthy subjects of similar age and gender.

1.Assessment of slit2 level in SLE patients and its correlation with disease activity. 2-Assessment of slit2 level in SSC patients and its correlation with disease activity

prospective analytical study of all pregnant ladies with systemic lupus in Beni-suef localities

The goal of this study is to enable the study sponsor to develop a new blood test method for clinicians to accurately predict which individuals with lupus will flare, when the flare will occur, and flare severity. Ultimately such a newly derived test would allow treating physicians to start pre-emptive therapy early, with the goal of achieving remission quickly and with a shorter duration of treatment; identify individuals who will have less severe flares and will thus require less aggressive treatments; or intensify and lengthen treatment for those individuals who will need such therapy. The design of this study is to follow individuals with a known diagnosis of SLE for changes in disease activity during the course of one year of observation. Clinical data and blood and urine samples will be collected at scheduled monthly visits. The clinical data and blood samples will be used for identifying gene expression profile(s) that are associated with increases in SLE disease activity (lupus "flares").

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS), rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are the most common rheumatic diseases dealt with rheumatologists in Taiwan. In previous studies, the 3 diseases all have broad impacts on health-related quality of life of patients and drive enormous economic burden on patients and society. The objective of this study is to compare health-related quality of life and disease-related costs between patients with the 3 different diseases. We will invite at least 100 patients with AS, RA or SLE respectively who are regularly followed in the outpatient clinic of the Division of Rheumatology at Taichung Veterans General Hospital (VGHTC) to participate in the study. Patients who have cognitive impairment, who are older than 65 years old or younger than 18 years old, who have overlapping syndrome of any 2 of the 3 rheumatic diseases (eg. RA overlapping with SLE) or who have visited rheumatologists in the outpatient clinics at VGHTC for less than 4 times in 2008 will be excluded. Patients who agree to take part will attend a comprehensive clinical examination in the outpatient department. Patients will complete a questionaire including demographic and disease characteristics, and health-related quality of life at the time of survey. The questionaires about disease-related costs will be completed once per quarter throughout 2009. The four questionaires about costs will be given at the time of initial survey and will be returned by returned by mail or in the following outpatient clinics visits every 3 months in 2009. The result of this study will help patients to realize their own health-related quality of life and disease-related costs and help government in Taiwan to realize the socioeconomic burden of the 3 common rheumatic diseases and to allocate health care resources more properly in the future.