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The bm12 Inducible Model of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus SLE in C57BL/6 Mice
Published on: November 1, 2015
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Infections and systemic lupus erythematosus
Thelma Larocca Skare1, Jéssica Scherer Dagostini1, Patricia Imai Zanardi1
1Faculdade Evangélica do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
Einstein (Sao Paulo, Brazil)
|April 14, 2016
Summary
Systemic lupus erythematosus patients frequently experience infections, particularly urinary tract infections and pneumonia. Prednisone use was significantly associated with these infections, highlighting the need for careful management.
Area of Science:
- Rheumatology
- Infectious Diseases
- Clinical Pharmacology
Background:
- Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease.
- Patients with SLE are at increased risk of infections due to the disease and its immunosuppressive treatments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the incidence and characteristics of infections in SLE patients.
- To investigate associations between specific infections and treatments used in SLE management.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analytical study of 144 SLE patients over five years.
- Data collected included patient demographics, disease duration, medications, and infection occurrence/site.
- Statistical analysis to identify correlations between treatments and infections.
Main Results:
- Urinary tract infections were correlated with prednisone and cyclophosphamide use.
- Upper airway infections were associated with prednisone, mycophenolate mofetil, and cyclosporine.
- Pneumonia incidence was linked to prednisone use.
Conclusions:
- Prednisone is strongly associated with an increased risk of infections in SLE patients.
- Judicious management and monitoring of prednisone therapy are crucial to mitigate infection risk.
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