May 10 is World Lupus Day!
Lupus is an unpredictable disease in which a person’s immune system produces an excess of proteins called antibodies that attach themselves to various structures in the body. The accumulation of these antibodies in the tissues can cause inflammation, damage and pain. The most common form of lupus is systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Approximately 15,000 Canadians are affected by SLE. Lupus symptoms and severity vary from patient to patient, for some, lupus is life-threatening and for others, it’s entirely manageable.
Below are some #CRArthritis interviews highlighting lupus. Please share to spread awareness about lupus!
Interview 6 - Treatment approaches to cutaneous lupus for the rheumatologist
Dr. Werth presented at CRA RheumReview: Canadian Clinical Updates – a full-day virtual event that runs concurrently with the CRA annual scientific meeting and is designed to update rheumatologists on hot topics in arthritis research. She speaks with ACE’s Kelly Lendvoy about her session at RheumReview titled “Approach to Cutaneous Lupus for the Rheumatologist” and will review clinical findings of cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) and approaches to treatment.
In their conversation, Dr. Werth describes the importance of early diagnosis and testing for co-morbidities in patients with CLE. She also elaborates on the treatment options most commonly used for CLE and how patients should prepare for their treatment conversations with their health care providers.
Interview 9 - Lupus and pregnancy in women in Alberta
Dr. Stephanie Keeling is a professor in the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Alberta. She is former board member and current member of the guidelines committee of the Canadian Rheumatology Association and a member and treasurer of the Canadian Network of Improved Outcomes in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (CaNIOS).
In this #CRArthritis interview, she talks about lupus and pregnancy in women in Alberta. In her study, they looked at what happens to women in pregnancy and what health care providers are doing with medications.
Interview 40 - Finding the right splints and assisted devices for your arthritis Safety of rituximab for vasculitis, antinuclear antibody testing in lupus, and deprescribing
In this #CRArthritis interview, Cheryl Koehn, ACE’s Founder and President, speaks with Dr. Arielle Mendel, an Assistant Professor in the Division of Rheumatology at McGill University. Dr. Mendel’s research focuses on patient safety in systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases. She aims to improve medication safety for people living with arthritis by studying the root causes of adverse drug effects.
In her discussion with Cheryl, she shares highlights from her podium presentation titled “Comparative safety and effectiveness of biosimilar and originator rituximab for induction or maintenance in ANCA-associated vasculitis: 6-month results of a longitudinal cohort study” and poster presentation titled “Value and appropriateness of inpatient antinuclear antibody testing at a tertiary hospital”. Dr. Mendel concludes by introducing us to the concept of safe deprescribing of medications for older adults.