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A Lip Fixation Device Facilitates Labial Salivary Gland Biopsy for Sjögren's Disease
Published on: March 6, 2026
Major flares in women with SLE on combined oral contraception
1Division of Rheumatology, Tygerberg Hospital, P.O. Box 19063, 7505, Tygerberg, Western Cape, South Africa. dwhit@sun.ac.za.
Abstract:
Two recent trials concluded that the use of oral contraceptives (OC) did not induce flares in lupus patients. We record our experience with OC in patients with stable lupus. Eight patients were enrolled in an open trial. Six received a combined contraceptive pill and two were allocated to the control arm. During a 12 month follow-up, 3 patients in the active arm experienced 4 major flares. One patient died as a result of uncontrolled disease complicated by sepsis. At this point, we abandoned the trial. The 2 patients in the control arm experienced no disease exacerbation during the 7 months of observation. We would urge that patients who are placed on OC be closely monitored.
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